Future Endeavors
by Silverleone
Summary: Haunted dreams are no fun. Especially after moving to a new town only a month before, so sleep is not common thing at the moment. What is that green lion and those other colorful creatures? And why were they beating it senseless every night? And just what is with that black shadow that sounded like a ten year old brat?
1. Chapter 1

**Okay! This has been a LONG time coming. I've been writing this and its sequel for almost the two full years I've been gone. So hopefully you all enjoy it! If not, well I enjoyed writing it, sooo…**

**Just kidding, enjoy!**

**~Silverleone**

I was walking down the street, trying to understand the dreams I've been having the past few nights.

««{{Flashback}}»»

***Lion's roar*** A forest green lion slammed into a wall, its eyes shut in pain as it crumpled to the floor. A voice echoed angrily around it.

"You lost AGAIN?!"

««{{Scene Change}}»»

The same lion was cowering into a corner, eyes filled with fear.

"I told you not to lose again! You know what happens when you lose!" The lion's eyes widened in fear, and it looked around. A flash of hope gleamed in its eyes when it saw me, and it lifted a paw. A dark figure stepped in between us.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

««{{Flashback}}»»

I shook my head as I passed by some new shops that I had never seen before, having moved in just last month. I saw a few of them were actually open, and I decided to see what they were.

***Ding ding ding*** I stepped into the closest shop and looked around. A bunch of glass cases lined the floor. I peered into the closest one and saw a bunch of plastic things lining the shelves, labels near each unique one with a basket below them, holding identical pieces.

"What are these things?" I asked out loud, not expecting to get an answer.

"Those, my friend, are top-of-the-line. Pardon the pun." I turned to see an older man wiping his hands with a rag as he walked over.

"Top of the line what?" I said, missing the apparently obvious pun.

"Why, Beyblade parts of course!" The man spread his arms for emphasis. I just shook my head.

"Sorry, I've never heard of "Bey Blades" before." The man scratched his chin in thought.

"Hmm, I see. Come here, I can show you." He walked over to the counter and pulled out what looked like a toy top. I raised an eyebrow, half curious, half confused. "This is a standard issue: Counter Gasher 145 SF." He held it out and I took it, inspecting it. It appeared to have 5 parts, the widest of which being made of metal, while the rest were plastic.

"Counter, Gasher?"

"That's its name. You get it from this part, the Fusion Wheel, and then this part, the Energy Ring." I watched as he pointed to the metal part, and then the plastic part right above it. "The other two parts are called the Spin Track," He said, pointing to the plastic part right below the 'Fusion Wheel'. "And the Performance Tip." He pointed to the very bottom piece.

"O...kay.' I said, honestly trying to remember all of this information. "And...What, exactly, is the point of this?"

"Oh, that's a whole other story. You see, it all started..." A sense of dread washed over me.

_'What have I gotten myself into...?'_

««{{¤}}»»

***Ding ding ding***

"Thank you for all the information sir, it really helps!" I said as I stepped outside of the shop.

"Oh, but of course! I love telling a good tale. Come back any time!"

"Sure! Thank you again!" I waved as I walked off. I stepped around the first corner and slumped against the wall. "A full hour. My head." I rubbed my temples as I looked at my watch. "That guy sure knows a lot about Beyblades..." I pushed off the wall and started walking again, hoping to get to my destination and back before dark. "Beyblades huh..." I shook my head. "Maybe when I get a job. Not going to be spending money I don't have on toys I don't need." I kept walking, finally reaching the wharf where my original destination was. I heard a couple of shouts, and some metal banging together, followed by a small explosion. I ran toward the sounds to see if anyone was hurt, only to see two kids standing opposite of each other in a stare off.

"What the-"

***Ting smash*** Something landed next to the kid closest to me, and out of all things it could be, it was a Beyblade.

"No! How could I lose?! I was this close!" I stared as he bent down and picked it up.

"Sorry Jack, but you just can't beat me! Not with my Capricorn!" The second kid noticed me staring. "Hey, do you want to battle too?" I was still trying to grasp what I just saw.

"Umm, no, I'm good."

"Oh come on, not even going to try after seeing me stomp my little brother into the ground?"

"Sorry, I just got here a month ago, and I don't have a top." The kid grit his teeth.

"Liar! You look more like a Blader than he does!" I held my hands up.

"Geez, calm down kid. Even if I wanted to, I don't have one."

"Then use his!" He pointed to his brother, Jack, who looked down at his Beyblade. I shook my head.

"I'm not going to take his toy, just calm down." Jack looked at me and held it out.

"Here, you can use it, just as long as you give it back." I hesitated, then took the top. Looking at it, it was yellow with two red swirls in it, a weird graffiti style word on the Face Bolt. "It's called Inferno Virgo."

"After the constellation?" He nodded, and handed me his launcher.

"Here, you'll need this." I fumbled to get "Virgo" on the launcher, grateful the guy had shown me how. I felt it click on and stood there awkwardly.

"You are such a noob! You have no idea what you are doing!" The older brother laughed. I wanted to scowl, but I held myself back, deciding him wanting to get a rise out of me wasn't worth it.

"How do I do this?" I asked the younger brother. He showed me how to launch and what to say, and I held up the launcher. The older brother raised his launcher eagerly.

"Finally! 3!"

"Hmph, 2."

"1! Let It Rip!" We pulled on the rip cords, and I expected the Beyblades to just drop straight down and sit there. But the kid pointed at me. "Capricorn! Smash him to pieces!" I cocked an eyebrow but nearly jumped out of my skin when his Beyblade actually moved on its own, spinning forwards at a rapid pace.

"Quick, tell Virgo to move!" My head snapped around, probably giving me whiplash.

"What?!"

***Clash*** Virgo was launched backwards by Capricorn and landed awkwardly before balancing upright.

"Quick, counter attack, don't let him get you again!" I looked at Jack in shock.

"Counter attack? I thought we just watched them spin! I didn't know they could move!" The older brother laughed again.

"No you idiot! You attack until there's nothing left! Like this!" Capricorn rushed forward again, and I panicked, calling out.

"Move!" I honestly didn't expect anything to happen, but Virgo leaned to the side, barely avoiding the attack.

"Hey! Get back here!" Capricorn rushed around, trying to hit Virgo again. I decided to panic later and focus on this battle that had somehow ensued.

"So Jack, this thing will listen to me?"

"Yeah, it will!" I nodded, focusing on Virgo.

"Alright, you want to play? Let's play." I waited till the last second, then called out, "Dodge again!" Virgo almost seemed to dance around Capricorn and an idea sparked. "Wait a minute... Virgo, get ready... Dodge, and then attack!" Virgo leaned to the side, twisting around and hit Capricorn from behind, sending sparks flying.

***Ting*** Capricorn landed on its performance tip after being knocked away.

"What?! How did you do that?!" I smiled, happy that I seemed to catch on to this game rather quickly.

"Let's just say, "It's elementary, my dear Watson.""

***Crickets***

"Seriously? Neither of you? Ugh, fine, I'll save my humor for someone who'll get it. Attack!" Virgo dashed forward and smacked into Capricorn again. A shower of sparks followed, and the older brother grit his teeth.

"I'm not going to lose! Capricorn, go!" It spun around after regaining its balance and dashed at Virgo.

"Virgo, run!" Virgo took off in the opposite direction, keeping its distance.

"Get back here!" Capricorn followed quickly, somehow catching up.

"What? How is he moving faster-wait."

_'Speed and power equals...Attack Type. Duh! That means Virgo must not be one. But what Type is he? That could change up my strategy.'_ I looked over at Jack.

"What type is Virgo?"

"Huh? Oh! It's a Stamina Type! It is Inferno Virgo 145 S."

"Stamina...okay, that changes things up a bit." I looked up to see Capricorn quickly gaining on Virgo. "And what is Capricorn?"

"Its build is Dark Capricorn 125 F. It's an Attack Type." My mind went back to the triangular type chart the man had shown me.

"So it's no wonder you keep losing, Attack Types have an advantage over Stamina Types."

"Oh yeah! I forgot about that!"

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" The other brother shouted

***Smash boom***

"Virgo!" Jack and I both called as it was sent flying. It hit the ground hard and wobbled before steadying. "It won't be able to take many more hits, it doesn't have any defense! Back off Damian!"

"Nu-uh! I'm going to beat Virgo twice in a row!" I mumbled in thought.

"Alright...if I remember right, Attack Types have the lowest stamina out of all of them, meaning they wear out the fastest. If I can hold Capricorn off for long enough, its energy will be too low to win." I stood up straighter, hoping my strategy would work. "Alright Virgo, go!" Virgo rushed right for Capricorn.

"Don't you get it? In a match of pure power, Capricorn is second to none! Go!" Capricorn put on a burst of speed, dust kicking up from its performance tip.

"Wait...wait...wait... Now! Lean around it!" Virgo straightened up and tilted to the right, Capricorn shooting right past him. "Yes!"

"What?! Get back here!" Capricorn tried again, but Virgo just spun out of the way. "Hold still you!" Again, and again, and again, Capricorn rushed, and every time Virgo dodged. Capricorn stopped to recenter itself. "Attack again! Hit it this time!" Capricorn tilted forward, but its speed was slightly slower than before.

_'Yes! It's losing energy, my plan worked!'_

"Now Virgo!" Virgo dodged one more time and rushed after it. Capricorn was headed full tilt towards a wall and Virgo was right behind it.

"Oh no! Capricorn stop!" Capricorn leaned back, trying to stop.

"Too late! Go!" Virgo pulled out all the stops as it slammed into a skidding Capricorn. Sparks went flying as their Fusion Wheels grinded against each other. Capricorn was trying to push back, but both its and Virgo's inertia kept it moving. Virgo pushed as hard as it could, slamming Capricorn into the wall.

"Capricorn get out of there! Don't let a Stamina Type beat you!" Capricorn tried to move, but the two points of contact on its Fusion Wheel weakened it too much, slowing its spin drastically.

***Boom*** An explosion rang out and I covered my face as gravel went flying. Curious to know what had happened, I looked over to where the two tops had been, only to see one of them wobbling like crazy. I feared for a second that it was Virgo, that it had wasted too much energy, but I felt something inside me grow when I realized it was Capricorn. I wasn't sure what the feeling was, but I knew I liked it.

Virgo pulled out of the cloud of smoke, rushing over to Capricorn and smashing into it, throwing it into the wall for one final hit. Capricorn landed on its Fusion Wheel and stopped moving. Virgo spun over to us and circled around the younger brother and I a couple of times. It then slowed to a stop in front of us, wobbling from all of its expended energy.

"Virgo... You did it Virgo! You won!" Jack cheered, literally jumping with joy. He bent down and picked up Virgo, stopping it with his hand. He turned to me and held it up for me to see. "And it wasn't just you Virgo, he helped!" Maybe it was just the light, but I could have sworn I saw Virgo glimmer. I smiled at the boy.

"It was no problem, while it wasn't what I expected, it was fun."

"I'll work really hard, and become a really good Blader, just like you!" I scratched the back of my head, not really sure how to react.

"Umm, well, I'm not quite sure I'm THAT good... That was only my first battle. I was just trying to figure things out." I remembered a question I wanted to ask them. "Oh yeah, this has been bugging me since we started. How, in the world, do these things move on their own?" Both brothers looked at me weirdly. Damian spoke up.

"Umm... What are you talking about?"

"How can Beyblades move on command? It's not logical, it doesn't make sense." They both just shrugged.

"We don't know. They just, do." I scratched my head in confusion.

"That's...never mind." I shook my head. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard a female voice right behind me.

"Excuse me, but did you say that was your first battle?"

"AH!" I jumped and spun to see a young shorter brown haired girl standing behind me. I took a step back to gain some personal space.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just heard a battle and got curious!" She took a step back as well, obviously embarrassed that she scared me. "My name is Madoka, I run a Beyblade repair shop down town called the B-Pit." She held out a gloved hand and I shook it.

"James. I just moved in last month. And yes, that was my first battle."

"Very impressive, I'll admit! Especially considering that Beyblade wasn't yours!" I snapped a finger, getting an idea.

"You seem to know a lot about Beyblades." She nodded, smiling.

"It's my life's work! I love it!"

"Okay, then maybe you could tell me why they can move on command...?" Her face dropped, probably hoping for a more technical question, if the goggles and laptop were anything to go by.

"Oh. Well, to be honest, I have my own Beyblade, but I don't really use it. I'm more of a sidelines kind of girl. I've done research on the subject, but there is some sort of wall I keep hitting." As she was talking she opened her laptop and was typing one handed, opening different windows at a near impossible pace. She stopped at one, her eyes scanning over it for a minute before nodding. "Here, this is all the research I could find on the subject." I took the laptop she was holding and read through the first few lines. A single term stood out to me.

"Bey Spirit? What's that?" She nodded.

"Yes, that. From what I could gather, apparently Beyblades are inhabited by something called a "Bey Spirit". I'm not exactly sure what it is." I scratched my cheek as I thought it over.

"So...basically, these Beyblades are haunted."

"Well...yeah, that's...one way to put it." She tilted her head, trying to not think about it too hard.

"So, where do they come from?" Madoka took back the laptop and started flicking through pages.

"No one knows. See, Beyblades have existed since ancient times. There is no real solid evidence of where they came from." As she spoke, she showed me some images of some old paintings. Different scenes depicting what looked like battles with tops. "See? They have just always, existed." I nodded.

"I see..." I looked over to see the setting sun glowing orange. "Ah shoot! I gotta go!" I turned to the two brothers, who had been standing there the whole time. "Thanks so much for letting me battle, maybe I'll see you guys again!" I fist bumped both of them.

"Yeah, it was awesome, even if I lost! That hasn't happened too often."

"Yeah! And you can use Virgo anytime!" I nodded and turned to Madoka, reaching into my coat's inner pocket. I held out a card.

"It's got my number on it, feel free to give me a call. I'm intrigued." She took it and looked it over, nodding.

"Sure, and here is my card. It's got my shop address on it so come by anytime!" I took it and slipped it into my pocket.

"Thanks! I might stop by soon. See y'all later!"

"Bye!" I waved as I took off at a steady jog.


	2. Chapter 2

««{{Dream}}»»

I looked around to see nothing but black, an eternity of darkness. I decided to walk in a random direction, not knowing what was happening.

"Attack!"

***Lion roar*** I turned as the same green lion from before leaped at a yellow goat, who thrashed in its grip. The goat threw the lion off, the lion landing hard on its side. The goat ran forward and ducked its head, getting under the lion before throwing it against an invisible wall. "No! You idiot! I told you to win, not lose! Get it right already!" A dark shadow stretched over the lion, who was wincing in pain and fear. The voice seemed to fade out, and it seemed like the entity owning said voice left as well. The lion looked in my direction, eyes pleading. I met its gaze in sorrow and empathy.

"I'm sorry, I don't know how to help! I want to help you, but I can't!" The lion got up on wobbling legs, tail hanging limp, and slowly made its way towards me. I walked over to help it stand, placing a steadying hand on its shoulder. Our eyes met again, and I just wanted to comfort the creature. It looked so tired, and so scared. I wrapped my arms around its neck, my face disappearing into its mane. "I will help you. I don't know where you are, but I want to help you." A low rumble resonated from its throat, and I held it tighter, trying to somehow ease its pain. I pulled back to meet its eyes again.

"I promise I will help you."

««{{Dream End}}»»

I sat up in bed, rubbing my eye with my palm.

"Man...another weird dream." I had been having them since I moved here, and I wasn't getting the best of sleep as of late. I got up and put my glasses on, looking out of the apartment window at the rising sun. "How can I help you when I don't know what or where you are...?"

"James! Breakfast!" I turned and looked at the door to my room.

"Coming Mom!" I called back, deciding to throw the dreams to the back of my mind as I got dressed. Blue jeans, a white undershirt with an open, blue-white plaid button-up set my day. I rolled up my sleeves and stepped out of my room. I heard a dog bark and a big brown mass of fur came scrambling down the hall.

"Woah! Hold on Charlie!" I stepped to the side as my Chocolate Labrador went skidding by on the hard wood. He turned around and nearly slipped before bumping into my legs. "Gah! Calm down! You're gonna knock me over!" I scratched his ears as his tail wagged his whole body.

"Boof!"

"What? Do you want your food?" His ears perked up and he barked again, slipping his way down the hall to the kitchen. "Hahaha, alright, I'll feed you, just don't break anything you fat furball!" I laughed as I followed him into the kitchen. My mom was sitting there with my younger brother, Ryan, eating breakfast.

"Good morning James."

"Morning Mom!" I dropped Charlie's food in his bowl and he started wolfing it down. "Slow down you furry pig, you're gonna choke!" I chuckled as I sat down and she pushed a plate in front of me. "Awesome, thanks!"

"Do you have any plans for today? I noticed you were gone for longer than you said yesterday."

"Yeah, honestly lost track of time. I found a couple of people to talk to, so it took longer than expected."

"Are you finally making friends James?" Ryan spoke up.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm not a social butterfly like you. I don't talk with everyone I see." I waved my hand at him, knowing he was only teasing. Mother spoke up with a warning tone.

"No fighting you two." My brother sighed.

"Fiiiine." I rolled my eyes at Ryan's tone.

"I was actually planning on going back today. There was an interesting shop I want to check out." We all finished up eating and got ready for the rest of our day. I threw on my shoes and stood up, stretching my arms above my head.

"Going already? You just ate." I looked over at my mom, who was now reading a book on the couch.

"Yeah, I want to make sure I have enough time in the day. Hopefully it doesn't take as long as it did yesterday."

"Alright...just be back before dark please."

"I'll do my best. Love you!"

"Love you too!" I stepped out the door and sighed. I walked down to the elevator and hit the button, and then leaned against the opposing wall, waiting for my ride.

***Ding*** I stood up straight as the elevator arrived. It opened to reveal itself empty.

"Perfect." I stepped on and hit the ground floor button.

"...Ground Floor." An almost obnoxious female voice rang over the intercom. The doors opened, and when I went to step off, someone bumped into my shoulder as they stepped onto the car, pushing me to the side a bit.

"Pardon me." I said. When I turned and looked at the person, all I saw was anger and malice. Whether that was directed at me or just the world in general, I wasn't sure. I blinked hard and decided it wasn't worth my time. I walked out of the apartment building and took a deep breath, looking around before pulling out that card Madoka had given me. I looked at the address and then walked over to the newspaper stand on the corner.

"What can I get you son?"

"Do you have a map? I'm trying to find this address." He nodded and reached under the counter, pulling out a simple folded map.

"Here you go, that'll be ¥450." I gave him the appropriate change and thanked him before stepping over to sit on an empty bench. I scanned the map and finally found the street name.

"Ah-hah, gotcha." I found the best route and headed out, putting the map in my pocket.

I finally made it to the street and looked for the shop, unsure what it looked like.

««{{¤}}»»

***Ding Ding Ding***

"I'll be up in a minute!" I heard Madoka's voice coming from the spiral staircase in the corner. I decided to look around while I waited. It looked similar to the shop I stopped at yesterday, with Beyblade parts laid out on shelves in an organized manner.

"Welcome to the B-pit, what can I help you with? Oh! It's you!" I turned to see Madoka standing at the top of the stairs.

"Yes, it's me. I said I was intrigued yesterday, and I had some open time this morning. So I figured I'd check out your shop." She blinked in surprise.

"Well, there's not much to look at, this is it." She spread her arms to show the whole shop, which in reality wasn't that big. She walked over to a shelf and picked up a fully assembled Beyblade. "What exactly caught your attention?"

"Just the fact that they can move on their own. Is there some sort of computer in them or something?" She let out a short laugh.

"If only it were that simple. I've studied them extensively, and other than the occasional shifting parts, they don't have anything even close to that." She walked over to the counter and pulled a tool from her pocket. I stepped over and watched. She took off the Performance Tip and then untwisted the Face Bolt, spreading the whole Beyblade out on the table. I saw only the plastic and metal parts, no wiring or anything.

"See? There's nothing. And yet..." She reassembled it and pulled out a launcher from her belt. She set it on the launcher and pulled the rip cord. "Let it rip!" The Beyblade landed on the floor and sat there. "Go in a circle please!" The Beyblade moved without question, spinning around in a small circle before settling again. I crouched down to get a closer look, only for a sudden burst of air to knock me off balance.

"Woah-oof!" I fell backwards and landed on my butt. I scrambled back a few feet, making sure the Bey wasn't attacking me or something.

"Oh I'm so sorry! This one doesn't like people getting too close! I forgot to warn you."

"You make it sound like it has a personality..." I grunted as she held out a hand. She helped me to my feet and I cocked an eyebrow, warily keeping an eye on it. "How did it do that?" Madoka pulled out her laptop again and it appeared to scan the Beyblade, pulling up multiple screens.

"Beyblades can increase their energy output for a few moments. Look here." I looked over her shoulder and saw a simulation of a battle. There appeared to be an energy bar on either side of the screen. One energy bar suddenly shot up, and one Beyblade dashed around to attack. "See? They give themselves the speed to attack." The other energy bar shot up higher, and the defending Beyblade didn't move when hit. "And the strength to defend."

"I see..."

"Does it make sense? Or did I just confuse you?"

"No, it makes sense...mostly. I just want to understand 'how'." She nodded.

"So do I." She held her hand up and the Beyblade jumped into it. She acted like it was nothing, but my eyes nearly bugged out of my head. "But, it's something that has stumped a lot of scientists. We have tried for years to find an explanation, and the only reasonably route is the "beasts" inside of them are actual sentient beings." I snapped out of my dazed look as she set the Beyblade back on the shelf.

"Sentient huh?"

"It's not really seen as a big deal to others, but for someone like me, I just have to have the answer to everything." I nodded.

"I'm the same way. Especially with this particular topic now."

***Ding Ding Di-***

"Madoka help!" I spun to see a young boy with green hair run over to us, holding something in his hands. His face shown obvious concern.

"Kenta? What's wrong?" The kid, Kenta I guess, held up a yellow Bey.

"It's Sagittario! It's not spinning properly and can't keep its balance! Something is wrong, please help!" Madoka got a serious look on her face, and she held out her hand.

"Let me see Sagittario, I'll see if I can find out what's wrong." The boy handed Madoka his Beyblade and she immediately went downstairs. Kenta started to follow but Madoka put up a hand. "I need peace and quiet so I can set up. I'll call you when you can come down." Kenta looked heart broken and ready to protest, but Madoka wasn't having it, giving him a look.

"O-okay...I'll wait..."

"Thank you." She disappeared downstairs and Kenta sighed, going over to sit on a bench. I stood there for a minute before going over and sitting on the bench with him.

"Hey, my name's James. It's nice to meet you Kenta."

"It's nice to meet you too." He tried so hard to put on a smile that it just looked painful.

"You don't have to pretend around me. I can tell you are worried." His head dropped in defeat.

"That obvious huh? I don't like seeing others sad and here I am moping." I waved off his comment.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I don't like seeing others sad either." I leaned over a whispered to him. "If you ask me, Madoka could be less strict. Have a laugh occasionally." He giggled, then full on laughed.

"She can be a little uptight at times." He got this look of admiration on his face. "But, she does her job so well because she is so serious." I shrugged.

"Maybe, but there is always a time and a place." Kenta nodded in agreement, but sighed again when he looked longingly at the stairwell. I had to keep his current situation out of his mind, so I tried to get him to talk more. "Alright, tell me this. I just found out about Beyblades yesterday. And this whole time I've been trying to figure out how they can move on their own. What are your thoughts?" Kenta looked like he was thinking really hard about what I just said.

"Oh...hmmm...I've never really thought about it to be honest, but now that I am, I'm not really sure." He scratched his head. "I guess it's because they have their Bey Spirits?" I nodded, hoping that phrase would come up.

"And what do you know about "Bey Spirits"?"

"Just that every Beyblade has one, but only the really strong ones can show up." I raised my eyebrows.

"Show up?" I asked, lost as a blind man in a maze.

"Yeah! Every once in a while you'll find a really strong Bey. In a really big battle, their Bey Spirit will appear."

"I don't believe you..." I said honestly.

"It's true! I've seen it myself, even with my own Sagittario!" My eyes widened.

"Wait. You have seen it, from your own Beyblade? The one that Madoka is working on downstairs as we speak?"

"Yeah! Sagittario is a yellow Centaur with a flaming bow and arrow, it's so cool!" His eyes shined as he talked about it. I was more concerned about safety at the moment. A centaur with a flaming bow and arrow didn't sound like a fun time.

"Is Madoka safe down there?!" I stood up, ready to leap down the stairs. He noticed my concern and held up both hands.

"Oh yeah, they get their power from their rotation. It's very rare for a Beyblade to be able to do anything when it's sitting there. Plus, Sagittario knows Madoka is repairing it, so it won't do anything." I sat back and tried to let everything sink in.

_'How...? How is this even possible? Nothing like that should exist!'_

"...-mes? James? Are you okay?" I snapped out of it, shaking my head.

"Huh? Oh, yeah...just trying to understand how that's possible." Something dawned on Kenta.

"Wait, you said you just heard about Beyblades YESTERDAY?!" I nodded.

"Actually had my first battle too. That's how I met Madoka."

"Really?! I can't imagine not knowing about Beyblades. I've had Sagittario for as long as I can remember." We both sat there for a minute, and I looked up when I saw movement on the stairwell. Madoka walked up.

"You can come down now Kenta. You as well James, if you want." Kenta hopped up and ran over, and I followed at a calm walk.

"Madoka, is Sagittario okay?! Did you find out what's wrong?!"

"Calm down Kenta, I'm sure Sagittario is just fine." We all walked down the stairs. I stepped onto the floor and looked around. There was a tool bench, a coffee table, a desk, and a couch. "I haven't even been able to check it yet. I was setting up my desk for work."

"Neat place." I said, looking around.

"Thanks!" Madoka walked over to the tool bench and sat down, slipping her goggles on. "Look at the screen please." Kenta stepped over to her and I followed. Madoka placed Sagittario in a blue machine. She shut the glass door and pushed a button. Two lines of light ran over Sagittario. I looked up at the display screen and saw a bunch of data pop up. I could only catch a few words.

Damage: minor

Balance: off

Debris: needs removal

"What does it mean by debris?" I asked. Madoka replied distractedly as she looked over the screen.

"A variety of things. It could be something as simple as dust build-up, or something like a small pebble or piece of trash." She pulled Sagittario out of the machine and took it apart, spreading all five parts out in front of her. She looked at the screen and then picked up the Spin Track. She looked over it and made a grunt of affirmation. She grabbed a pair of tweezers and pulled out what looked like a small wing on the side. She reached in and pulled out a rock, smaller than a bead. After dropping it in a trash bin and looking over the rest of the Spin Track, she set it down and looked over the data again, this time picking up the Fusion Wheel. Reaching up, she grabbed a tool with a hose attached to it. Pressing a button, it blew some air onto the Fusion Wheel, knocking some dust and dirt off. I sat down on an extra chair, wanting to watch the whole procedure.

««{{¤}}»»

"Ah! Ten thousand years will put a crick in your neck!" I stretched my arms over my head.

***Slap***

"Ow! What was that for?" I rubbed the back of my head. Madoka snapped at me, looking upset at my words.

"Don't mock me! It didn't take long at all!"

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry, it was a joke!"

"Better have been! I worked hard!" I held up my hands in defeat.

"Alright, I get it, geez." Kenta ran past us and pulled out his personal launcher.

"Alright Sagittario! Let's go!" He loaded Sagittario onto the launcher. Madoka looked over in horror.

"Wait?! Already?! I just fixed it!" Kenta wasn't hearing it and took a running leap.

"LET IT RIIIP!" Sagittario flew off the launcher and landed, putting on a burst of speed. It circled around us a couple of times before settling in front of Kenta. Its spin looked stable, but I didn't have the knowledge the other two did. "Alright! You're back to normal Sagittario! That's awesome!" Sagittario jumped into Kenta's hand and he turned to Madoka. "Thank you so much Madoka! Sagittario is spinning better than ever!" His eyes were lit up with gratitude.

"Of course Kenta, it was no problem. I'm happy to help!" She got a serious look on her face, "Just remember to take care of Sagittario, alright?" Kenta nodded.

"Uh-huh! I'll take really good care of it, I promise! I gotta go, see ya later!" Kenta waved back at us as he took off running. We both waved until he turned the corner and Madoka dropped her arm with a sigh. I gave her a side glance.

"Tired?" She shrugged.

"Of Bladers that can't handle their own Beys at least. Kenta is young, so it's understandable. But he at least knows it's important to take care of them." She rolled her eyes. "But there are full grown adults that don't know anything about their Beyblades except their name. They don't know the first thing about them!" She had puffed up a cheek in frustration, and I almost snorted.

"To be honest, there will always be people like that. They just don't...care."

"Hmph. Well they should." I rolled my eyes and placed my hand on her shoulder.

"Alright Miss Pragmatic, are you hungry?"

"Yeah, actually. I could eat something."

"Good, let's go to this burger shop I saw on the way here."

"Alright."

...

"Wait...What did you just call me?!" Madoka's face went bright red and steam came out of her ears.

"Ah crap, I thought you missed it!" I took a step back in fear. "Madoka it was a joke I swear!"

"How about I call you something mean, huh four-eyes?!" She snapped out of it and covered her mouth. "Oh James, I didn't mean it, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...Are-are you laughing?!" I busted out laughing when she finally noticed, and I was finding it hard to breathe. She got redder and redder with embarrassment.

***Slap* **My head snapped to the side, my glasses almost flying off my face from the force.

"Ow."

"You done?"

"Yes ma'am..."

"Good." We started to walk to the burger shop while I rubbed my cheek. We turned a few corners and I finally spotted the burger shop.

"There it i-!" I stopped and grabbed my head. It felt like someone had just ran it through with a sword. "Ach-gah!"

"James? What's wrong?"

"My-***cough* **my head! Err!" I lost my balance and slammed against the wall, collapsing to the ground as my ears rang something fierce. "Ma-doka! ***gasp*** Help me!" I could hardly breathe, the pain was so intense tears were springing to my eyes.

"James! Somebody help! James! Hold on, I'm calling an ambulance!" A few people came running when they heard Madoka call out.

"Young lady, what's wrong?!"

"I don't know, he just grabbed his head like he's in pain!" Madoka got through to dispatch, and got an ambulance on the way. One man tried to move me, but I just shrunk back when I felt the physical touch. Images started flashing through my head. The lion in my dreams appeared, roaring at me, its eyes desperately pleading with me.

"Aaahhh, make it stop! Please!" I cried out. The lion ran forward and touched its nose to my forehead. The pain lessened, not fully, but enough to be notable.

"What is happening to him?! Is he having a seizure?"

"I don't know! James! Please be okay!" Madoka stood there wringing her hands. My vision slowly faded to black, and the sounds started fading as well.

***Ambulance sirens***

***Doors opening***

***Feet pounding***

***Voices speaking***

Nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

***Beep*...*Beep*...*Beep*...*Beep***

I slowly opened my eyes, only to be blinded by a light. I groaned and tried to move my arm to cover my eyes, only to feel something attached to it. I squinted against the bright light and saw that I had an IV in my arm. I tried my other arm and succeeded in blocking out the light. I thought back for a minute, trying to find out where I was and why.

««{{Flashback}}»»

"My-***cough*** m-... ***gasp*** Help me!"

"James! Somebody..."

"…Don't know! James! Please...!"

***Ambulance sirens***

***Doors opening***

***Feet pounding***

***Voices speaking***

Nothing.

««{{Flashback}}»»

_'I must be in the hospital...I hope Madoka is okay.'_ I tried sitting up, only for a wave of nausea to hit me. I dropped back down onto the pillow and dropped my hand on my face.

"Oooooooooh, pain is not an okay thing..."

_"You're awake."_ A distorted voice said. I looked over in the direction of the voice and saw a figure sitting in the far corner. The window curtains were closed, blocking out most of the light. I couldn't make out much anyways, as I didn't have my glasses on.

"Who are you?" They shifted a bit and I thought I saw a glint of light off their face. Strange.

_"Call me Phoenix. That's all you need to know."_ The voice sounded like it was reverberating in a metal pot or something. I looked to my side and saw my glasses sitting on the side table. I grabbed them and put them on. I looked at "Phoenix" and could barely make out their general appearance. Spiky blonde hair with a long orange coat and black pants. They appeared to be wearing a mask. Definitely not normal.

"Okay, "Phoenix", or whatever your name is, why are you in my hospital room?" They shifted in the chair a bit, folding one leg over the other.

_"I saw your battle two days ago. You did well for your first try."_ I blinked, caught off guard.

"Yeah, well, thanks, I guess? But why are you here?"

_"What happened to you yesterday was not normal." _

"No. I thought having a seizure was a regular occurrence." I started to roll my eyes but stopped when it made my head hurt.

_"The doctors may call it a seizure. But it only looked like one."_ I raised an eyebrow.

"'It only looked like one?' Alright masked man who are you really? And what are you doing in my room?" They didn't move, and I could feel their eyes piercing into me. I grunted and looked around, tired of this masked person. Seeing a pen and clipboard, I snagged the pen and threw it at them. Without any trouble they caught it, dropping it on the table. I reached for the clipboard, only for the door to open and a nurse to walk in. I pulled my arm back and looked at her, speaking with a tone of annoyance.

"Excuse me nurse, would you kindly remove the strange man from my room, please?" She looked up from her clipboard.

"...Sir, there's no one here." My eyes snapped over to the chair Phoenix had been sitting in, only to see it empty and the window behind it open.

"...Just pretend I didn't say anything..." I slumped against my pillow, sighing.

"Believe me hon, I've heard stranger things before. And on lighter stuff than you're on right now." I raised an eyebrow and looked down at the IV stuck in my arm.

"What am I on exactly?"

"Just something to keep you calm. Although with what you said just now, you might need a smaller dosage." She walked over to the window and shut it, picked up the pen and set it back where it was before. She then checked my dosage and lowered it a little.

"Believe me, I wish I was." She just smiled sympathetically and checked over my vitals. She just started to say something, when her phone rang. Answering it and

"Oh my..." She took a few steps towards the door. "I-I'll go see what I can find..." She hurried out of the room, obviously flustered. I settled down, trying to focus, but a sound seem to suddenly fill the room now that it was quiet. I tried to see where it was coming from, maybe one of the machines, but it seemed to be from every direction. Then the pitch changed slightly, and it sounded like it was near the end of the bed. I slowly reached over and grabbed the pen, not sure if something was actually there, or if it was just the drugs I was on. I heard a scraping sound, and next thing I know, I nearly jumped out of my skin when a Beyblade OF ALL THINGS leaps onto the table across from me. I drop my arm to the mattress.

"What the freak. How did you get in here...?" I tilted my head and the Beyblade shifted in the same direction. I blinked and tilted my head in the opposite direction. It moved the same way. I tried again, with the same result. "Are you, copying me?" It sat still for a minute, then jumped off the table and I heard it spin across the floor. It jumped up and landed on the bed frame, spinning there quietly. "What are you doing...?" The Beyblade seemed to speed up, a small whip of wind spun around it.

***Bird screech***

"What th-!" The Beyblade burst out in flames and I let out a shout. The flames grew to about a foot high, then sat there. I backed up as far as I could on the bed, trying to escape the flames. I was wondering why a Beyblade would kamikaze and set itself on fire, when I realized the Beyblade wasn't melting or anything. In fact, it looked perfectly fine. The flames flared and unfolded. I stared in shock and awe as a bird fluttered its wings a bit before folding them in by its sides.

"Crap baskets the lady must have put MORE drugs in me..." My eyes were the size of dinner plates as I looked over the obvious hallucination. The firebird cocked its head to one side, and then the other. It hopped down from the frame of the bed onto the mattress, the flames not even phasing the fabric. It hopped closer and I put my hand up, not wanting it to burn me.

"Stop!" It pulled back a bit and almost looked hurt. Its black eyes seemed soft and curious. I took a deep breath. "J-just stay there." It cooed and the sound soothed my nerves. I slowly relaxed and it leaned forward, seeming to ask for permission. I hesitated, but nodded.

"Just... Just don't burn me." It cooed again and hopped forward till it was in reach. For how hot it looked, I couldn't feel the heat hardly at all. I slowly reached out, and it waited patiently, looking me in the eyes. My hand got within an inch or two and stopped. I could feel a bit of heat, but it wasn't enough to be painful. It pushed its head into my hand, cooing with its eyes closed. I gently rubbed what turned out to be wild orange feathers, not flames. "What are you?"

_"Burn Fireblaze."_ I turned to see the masked man again, leaning against the wall. I grunted in annoyance but the bird pressed into my hand, distracting me for a second. It cooed and calmed me down.

"Burn, Fireblaze?"

_"Its name."_ I 'ahh'd' in understanding and looked into its eyes. It hopped closer, now that it knew I was calm, and pushed into my chest. _"It likes you."_ I stared as it curled up in my lap.

"Obviously so..."

_"It is not often a Bey Sprit will show itself outside of battle. Fireblaze is curious about you." _

"Wait, Bey Spirit? You mean..."

_"Yes. They do exist, Madoka was not lying."_ My head snapped over to look at him.

"How do you know her name...?" My eyes gained a dangerous look. He explained how he saw my battle and had been following me ever since. He overheard every conversation outside the ones in Madoka's shop. I had rested my hand on the Bey Spirit and was slowly petting it, enjoying the warmth it put off. "Why are you following me?" Before he could answer, everything happened at once. The Bey Spirit vanished in a poof, the Beyblade jumped over to the man who caught it and leaped out the window. A doctor walked in and looked around. I was sitting there blinking at the window, still trying to grasp what had just happened.

"Excuse me sir, is everything alright?" I shook myself out of my daze and nodded.

"Yes, everything is fine...I think I just need some sleep."

"Alright, just let us know if you need anything." I nodded and rolled over, removing my glasses and dozing off.

««{{¤}}»»

"How is he nurse?"

"He's fine. Just tired from the whole experience."

"Is there going to be any lasting side effects?"

'_Mom? What is she doing here? How did she find out?'_

"...There shouldn't be. And with how severely he was reacting, there seems to be no sign of damage. With any luck, he could be out of the hospital within the day."

"That's a relief. Thank you nurse."

"Of course. I'll check up on him in a few hours, and maybe we can get him checked out." I heard footsteps and then a door open and close. My mother sighed and I heard her sit down.

"Oh James...what happened to you?" I slowly rolled over and saw my mom's head in her hands, sitting next to my bed.

"M-mom..." I said, startling her and making her look up.

"James! Oh thank goodness! You're awake! I was so worried when the hospital called and said you had some sort of seizure! I never thought, I just-"

"Mom."

"What? What is it James?"

"Please stop talking...you're hurting my head." A helpless smile grew on her face, and a tear fell. I reached over and took her hand. "I'll be okay. I'm not sure what happened, but I'll be out of here before you know it. Right now, I just need to sleep." I heard some movement in the corner and looked to see my brother Ryan. "Hey Ryan." He had a small smile on his face.

"Hey Bro, you gave mom and I quite the scare, getting a call from the hospital."

"Well, I aim to please. Figured you needed a good wake up call." I nodded at our mom. "Ryan, would you go get mom something to eat? You and I both know she won't leave." He smirked, glad to see I still had a sense of humor and nodded.

"Sure thing, just don't go all freak-a-zoid on us again." He started for the door, but I held out my arm and he paused mid step.

"Hey, don't worry about me. I'll be fine." I saw a flash of sadness, but he straightened up quickly.

"Since when have I worried about you? You're tough." He stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Ryan! *sigh* You know he didn't mean that."

"He's just being himself." I rolled onto my back. "I'm going back to sleep. And don't worry about me mom, I'll be fine." I yawned. "I just need some more rest."

"Okay James. You get some sleep."

"You as well. You look way too tired." I closed my eyes as I heard her choke back a laugh.

"You're right, I'll try to sleep." I quickly dozed off, feeling exhaustion creep into my mind.

««{{Dream}}»»

I opened my eyes, expecting to see the hospital room. Instead, it was that completely black void again. I looked for the lion, but I couldn't see or hear anything.

"Hey! Where are you?!" I called out, hoping to hear a roar or something. I heard a low moan and turned to see the lion bruised, battered, and barely hanging on to life by a thread. I ran over and dropped to my knees beside it. "What happened to you?!"

"It lost." I turned to see the dark form, outlined by a white shadow. I stood up to face it, my canines showing in anger.

"Who do you think you are?! You have no right to be treating anything like this!" The shadow took a few steps forward till we were face to face. A grin full of sharp teeth spread wide.

"It's getting what it deserves." I snapped and threw a punch, but the shadow dispersed like a mist. I spun around looking for it, only to see it kick the lion in the back. The lion let out a weak roar of pain and my vision went red.

"Stop it!" I leaped at the black form, only for it to disperse again. I landed hard and rolled over to see it standing over me.

"Stay out of this!" Its leg reared back and I put my arms up. A hard kick hit them and they flared in pain. I rolled sideways and got to my feet, staring this thing down.

"You have no idea who you just picked a fight with. I don't know who or what you are, but I will find you. And you will pay for this!" The form just laughed.

"Good luck finding me! You're too stupid, just like this no good rag doll over here!" I clenched my fists.

"That lion has more worth even in this state than you ever will!" I pointed at it. "You think beating something up makes you stronger? Well it doesn't. You're nothing but a two year old who whines when he doesn't get his way!" Something threw me backwards and I landed in a heap, rolling a few times. I slowly pushed myself off the ground, only for a leg to connect with my side. ***Cough*** I landed on my other side with a grunt and gritted my teeth. "Alright you punk. This is MY dream world." I swung my leg, actually making contact with the thing. ***Crack***

"Ah!" The thing dropped to its knee. I scrambled to my feet and back handed it with a fist, knocking it to the ground.

"You know what they say. An eye for an eye." I stood above it. "Lucky for you I'm not some low-life who gets pleasure by beating people senseless." I bent down and grabbed whatever it was, hauling it to its feet. "But if you ever want to see the light of day again, you will not touch that lion. You hear me?" Whatever it was, was shaking in anger.

"Why should I listen to you?! I'm stronger than you!" It took a swing and I simply redirected it, making it stumble. "Stop getting in my way!" Another invisible force shoved me backwards, making my shoes skid across the black floor. I caught my balance and took a running leap, cocking my arm back and throwing a punch right in its face. It fell hard and stopped moving. I stood over it for a minute, but it stayed still.

"Next time you want to beat someone, pick a fight in your own dream." I turned and ran to the lion, falling on my knees next to it. I placed my hand on it, feeling a warmth emanating from it. "Hey, come on, wake up." I gently rocked it, but it wasn't very responsive. "Hey, it's gone, you don't have to be scared anymore. Wake up." A low rumble vibrated through its body as it sighed. The lion started fading, becoming translucent. "What's happening?! Hey, stop! Just hold on! I want to he-" I stopped when I saw something I never thought I'd see.

A Beyblade was weakly spinning where the lion had been.

_"…No."_


	4. Chapter 4

I bolted up straight in the hospital bed, breathing heavily. I stared at the blanket as I tried to comprehend what just happened.

"...There's no way..."

"No way what?" My head snapped over and saw Madoka sitting next to my mom, who was sleeping. I blinked hard a few times, my mind trying to catch up with everything.

"Um...nothing, don't worry about it. Just a dream."

_'But it felt so real...'_

"O...kay... Anyways, how are you feeling James?" I rested my arms on my lap and focused on myself for a minute.

"I think I'm okay. I'm still not sure what happened yesterday though. Have the doctors said anything?"

"Yesterday? Do you mean Friday?"

"Yeah. Why, what day is it?" Ryan, who had been sitting in the corner the whole time, spoke up.

"It's Monday...You were out all day yesterday and most of Saturday." I blinked and just shrugged. Madoka just shook her head and sighed.

"What? I'm not really in a mood to care right now, to be honest. I've apparently had a seizure, or at least something along those lines. And then the weird man in here, along with his Beyblade. And then those strange dreams. I'm not sure if I'll want to leave the apartment for a while."

"Yeah, that does sound weird. Wait, what was that about a man and a Beyblade?!" I shrugged again, not really phased by her volume change.

"I woke up Saturday to find this masked man sitting over there. He left when a nurse came in, but his Beyblade had stayed behind. Turns out, Bey Spirits are beyond just ghosts, they have feelings and we can physically touch them."

"What are Beyblades?" I turned to Ryan.

"Basically spinning tops you battle with. Evidently they're inhabited by ghosts, or something called a 'Bey Spirit'. That's the 7 second story, at least." Madoka cut in to the conversation, obviously still flustered.

"Maybe I need to get a nurse to check on you." I raised my hand to stop her from stepping out and calling a nurse.

"Madoka. I'm not kidding, and I wasn't drugged up enough to be seeing things. Believe me, it happened."

"What happened?" I looked to see my mom was awake now. I sighed, knowing that I'd have to explain everything.

"Take a seat Madoka, this could take a while." Madoka went and sat back down, her brow furrowed with worry. "Let's start at the beginning. I've been having some weird dreams over the past month..."

««{{¤}}»»

"...And that's when I woke up."

...

...

"Just gonna leave me hanging? No questions? No telling me I'm some kind of psycho?" They all snapped out of their trance and Ryan spoke up.

"Are you kidding? That's awesome! These Beyblade move on command?! I want one!"

"Not if they're possessed you're not!" My mom cut in, giving my brother a hard look. She turned to me with more concern than anything. "James, I don't want you near these Beyblades anymore. They sound dangerous." I caught myself before I rolled my eyes.

"Mom, I'm 20. I can take care of myself."

"***Snort* **Says the one in the hospital." My brother said. Apparently my patience had been ran thin over the past few days, and I clapped back, only slightly ticked that he wasn't helping my situation

"Do you want to wake up in a hospital bed?! 'Cause that can be arranged!" His body tensed up, ready to retort, but our mom beat him to it.

"Boys! Stop it! Ryan, no more sarcasm! James, don't let him dig at you!"

"Sorry mom." She sighed and rubbed her temples.

"Thank you. Now, James. I get that you're an adult, but I'm not sure if this is something you should look into. It sounds dangerous and you've already been hurt." I tried to think of what to say for a minute, wanting to get my thoughts out just right.

"I'm going to be honest, mom. I don't know if I CAN leave this alone, even if I wanted to. For the most part it was just some dreams affecting my sleep. This time it was basically an extreme plea for help. I think I'm the only one who can help this lion. Which is apparently a Beyblade, as I found out just now." I pushed myself into a sitting position, crossing my legs. "The poor thing is being tortured all because it can't win a battle, and it's not getting any stronger." I looked out the window, seeing the sun rising. "I don't know how much longer it will last." I dropped my eyes to my lap, but brought them up to meet my mom's eyes. "I promise that if, no, _when_ I go looking for this Beyblade, I will be careful."

"James, I know you'll be careful, but-"

"Mom...I...I have to." I built up my resolution and stayed my ground. Her eyes teared up. "Mom, I'm not leaving, I'm just...going to find something that needs my help. I'm possibly the only one that Beyblade reached out to. I'm possibly the only one that knows what pain it is in." My mom held up her hand.

"Stop. ***Sigh***" A sad smile appeared on her lips, eyes shining with unspilt tears. "You are just like your father." I felt a weak smile start to grow on my face. "He can't let an animal or person suffer either, he just has to help them. Why do you think he's a vet?"

"Mom..."

"And with you being so much like him, there's no way you'll budge in your choice... ***sigh*** You can go. But promise me one thing." I nodded and she got a determined look on her face, making her point clear. "You come home to us. Wherever you go, you come home. No matter how long you are gone, no matter how far you travel, no matter the barriers you face. You. Come. Home." Her voice cracked slightly at the last word, but she never broke eye contact. I kept the eye contact, her look of determination matched by my own.

"I will. I promise."

"Can I come t-"

"No!" My mom stomped out that idea before it was even in reality.

"Even I'm saying no! This could be dangerous!" Madoka chipped in. I smirked at her as my brother moaned.

"Aaaah, but why not?!"

"Because both of the females in the room said so."

***CLANG***

"OW! My _HEAD!"_ I gripped my head as it throbbed from where Madoka clobbered me. She yelled at me,

"Don't get smart with us James!"

"Heeeey, who's the one in the hospital?! Have a little sympathy will ya?!"

"Your stay is going to be a lot longer if you keep that up!"

"Now that's not fair! I was pointing out a fact!"

"A fact that didn't NEED to be pointing out!" We stopped when we heard my mom laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" I said with a small smirk. She covered her mouth and eventually stopped laughing enough to speak.

"You two fight like you've known each other all your lives." I scratched the back of my head as Madoka blushed. A thought popped into my head during the lull of the conversation.

"...You're going to hate me for this comment..." Now _she_ looked ready to clobber me.

"...Just say it. It can't be any worse than what you're doing already." I froze when she said that, and my eyes flicked over to Ryan. She followed my gaze and slowly turned back to me. "...Don't say it James..." I shrugged helplessly.

"It's not like he's got school or anything...?"

***CLANG***


	5. Chapter 5

**I decided to do a double whammy tonight, so y'all get two chapters! Let me know what you think of Future Endeavors. Personally I might go back and redo some points, as my writing skills slowly improve. Hopefully this is at least doing this corner of fanfiction some justice.**

**Enjoy!**

**~Silverleone**

"RISE AND SHINE!"

"Wha-AHHHH!"

***The fire of a thousand suns hits my eyeballs as I curl up in agony***

"My eyes!" The shades closed and I was only half blind, sunspots dancing in my eyes. (Had to kill a moth...legit half blind right now from staring at a light bulb...dumb things only know how to be annoying by creating obnoxious shadows and eating all your clothes.)

"Oh come on, it's not that bright." My brother heaved a sigh.

"I can't see! I think I'm blind! Darkness is surrounding me! Is this what HFIL is like?! I don't want to be here anymore!"

"You're not blind you idiot." He walked over and yanked my hands off of my eyes. I blinked a few times, the sunspots disappearing for the most part.

"Oh. I can see."

"No shoot Sherlock." I shifted on the bed and shot him a look.

"'Ey! That's my line!"

"Whatever." I looked around to see the other two were gone.

"Where'd mom and Madoka go?"

"Getting something to eat. Madoka was the only one that could convince her to even leave the room." He said simply, sitting back in the chair he had claimed. "Hey, were you serious about me going with you?" I pulled myself up to lean against the pillows, and thought back to earlier.

««{{Flashback}}»»

My eyes flicked over to Ryan. My mom followed my gaze and slowly turned back to me. "...Don't say it..." I shrugged helplessly.

"It's not like he's got school or anything...?"

***CLANG***

««{{Flashback}}»»

I shuddered as I thought about that look my mom had on her face.

"How mad is she?"

"Surprisingly? Not too mad. Probably because she thinks you got what you deserve with that Madoka girl bashing you over the head. Twice." I rolled my eyes. "I'm not sure how she feels. She stayed pretty quiet after that."

"I'm not going to push her on it. It took enough convincing to let me go."

"If I don't go, don't worry about it." He got a smirk in his face. "Besides, you'd be the one having to keep up with me." I rolled my eyes again.

"Yeah, whatever."

"So, tell me more about these Beyblades." I sighed and thought back to the limited information I had gathered.

"Honestly, I don't know a whole lot. I just found out about them a few days ago. But I do know this, they're a lot more powerful than you'd think."

"What do you mean by powerful?"

"When they clash, they create showers of sparks."

"What? No way!"

"It's true! I saw it myself."

"Is that even possible? How fast are they spinning?"

"Fast enough to outrun a man, that's for sure." He stared at me for a minute, then grinned.

"I want one!"

"You heard mom."

"Since when has that stopped us?"

"Touché. But in this case, these things could very well be dangerous in more than one way."

"How so?"

"Well, for one, they can outrun you, meaning you can't get away from them. Second, they can jump, so it's not just your ankles they'll be hitting. Third, I have no idea how their "Bey Spirits" work. I've only seen the one, and I was able to touch it. Which means they can touch you. With teeth."

"Saying this only makes me want one even more. I hope you know that."

"Ryan, these things could kill you."

"James, when has that stopped me?" I sighed and hung my head back.

"You're too stubborn for your own good."

"I like to think of it as...stuck in my ways."

"Your 'ways' are going to get you in some deep water."

"Whatever. I'll ask Madoka to hook me up. She's the one with the shop right? I'll just stop by there and get one." I threw my hands in the air and let them drop limply to the mattress.

"I give up."

"Give up on what James?" My mom walked in at that moment and I nearly had a heart attack.

"Life. In general." I said stiffly.

"Oh, that's too bad, I heard from the doctor you are nearly free to go. They just want one last check up and you'll be set." Both my arms shot into the air.

"Woohoo! Freedom!" The nurse walked in and began checking out the machines around me, taking out my IV.

««{{¤}}»»

I stepped out of the hospital and spread my arms wide, taking a deep breath.

"Ahh, fresh air. Have I told you how much I hate hospitals?"

"Only half a billion times." Ryan said.

"It's the atmosphere! It's so...depressing. It feels weird." Ryan started running past me, yelling,

"Shotgun!" I snagged his hood and stopped him.

"Ladies first."

"Oh you're no fun!" We got in the car, me and Ryan in the back with Madoka riding shotgun.

"Glad to see you're out of the hospital James." Madoka looked over her shoulder.

"Yeah, me too." I shuddered. "And I'm not planning on going back any time soon. If ever." My mom chipped in.

"Good, because you'd be paying the bill that insurance didn't cover." I ducked my head and blushed.

"Sorry mom."

"It's fine James, just don't go getting attacked by these...spirits."

"No promises but I'll do my best." We eventually pulled up to Madoka's shop.

"Thank you so much for the ride!" She hopped out and started to close the door, but stopped. "Oh, James, could we talk for a minute?" Ryan chipped in.

"Oooooh, somebody's in love!" I whacked him over the head and hopped out.

"Quiet! Sure Madoka, what's up?" We walked over and she wrung her hands together, not sure how to get the words out. "Madoka?"

"I...I was wondering if I could go with you?!" My eyes widened as she looked away, appearing to be embarrassed. I regained my composure.

"If you want to, sure!"

"Really?"

"Of course! I know next to nothing about Beyblades, so I need an expert to help me out." I looked at her shop. "But what about your shop?"

"Oh, I've left for my dad to take care of in the past. There are plenty of other shops in town." She looked thoughtful. "Do...do you think a few other people could come too? They will be really useful!" I nodded.

"It's probably going to be all hands on deck for this one, all of you will be guiding me along." She nodded.

"I'll call them then. When should we meet up?" I rested my hand on my chin, thinking for a minute.

"Two days from now. That should give everyone enough time to prepare." She nodded, looking determined.

"I'll make sure everyone is ready." We shook hands and I walked back to the car.

"See you in two days!"

"Yes! I'll be ready!" We waved as we drove off.

"So, what did you two talk about? Hmm?" I rolled my eyes at Ryan.

"First of all, she's half my age so that's gross. Second, Madoka asked if her and a few friends can come with me. She wants to help." My mom chipped in.

"And you're okay with them coming? You don't really know these people James."

"True, but Madoka is not someone to get tangled up in a bad crowd."

"Alright...As long as you feel it's okay."

"We'll be home before you know it."


	6. Chapter 6

I laid down in bed that night. I went through my mental list of things I had packed one last time, and, confident I had everything, took off my glasses and pulled my covers over me, hitting the sack.

"Alright, let's see if we can't get any direction from this lion Beyblade." I paused and shook my head, closing my eyes. "Flip, I sound insane..."

««{{Dream}}»»

I stood up and looked around, trying to see the lion.

"Hello?!" I called out. "Where are you?!" I heard a growl behind me, and turned to see the lion on the ground, a wolf standing over it, teeth bared.

"If you don't start improving soon, Ikari, you are done here." A man stepped out of the shadows. He was wearing glasses and a brown suit. It looked like he thought he was very important.

"You stupid Bey! I told you to attack! Not cower! Raahh!" I turned to see a teenager standing opposite of the man. His black hair was pulled back in a ponytail, with two locks framing his face. His red eyes were alight in anger.

_'Fitting, if that's his real name.'_ A green coat rested over a blue shirt, and jeans and tennis shoes finished his look. _'If this is the kid picking on that lion, I'm going to hurt the punk.'_

"It's not MY fault I lose! The Bey you gave me is trash!" I gritted my teeth, wanting to give him a piece of my mind.

"Hahahaha! That is a lie. You just can't unlock its potential because you are impatient." The man pushed his glasses up on his nose and grinned widely. "But, of course, if you feel another would fit you better, we might have to look into that..." The two people vanished, along with the wolf, leaving behind the lion. I ran over and dropped to my knees, looking it over. It was beaten, bruised, and battered. I set my hand on it and it flinched. I rubbed its fur slowly. The lion groaned and cracked an eye, sighing when it saw me.

"Hey...You're not looking too hot." I ran my fingers through its mane, feeling it relax. "Did you have a rough battle? I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. I would have tackled that wolf and strangled it with my bare hands." The lion almost seemed to roll its eyes. "What? You don't believe me? I'd tackle that thing and throw it as far as I could." It playfully but weakly swiped a paw at me and I ducked. "'Ey, watch it!" I sighed as I looked it over. "...I want to help. And I'm going to, I promise you that. But I need to know where you are. Please, any clues will help." The lion lifted its head and looked behind it. I followed its gaze and stared at nothing. "What are you looking at?" It cuffed me over the head and looked again. "Ow! What?!" I looked back in the direction the man had been standing. Then it clicked. "Oooh. The man." It snorted and actually rolled its eyes. "Hey, maybe if you could talk we wouldn't be having this hard of a time communicating." It looked disgruntled and turned its head away. "Alright, alright I'm sorry." I continued combing its fur, smoothing it down. "I'll find that man and rescue you. I promise." It rubbed its head into my leg and purred, the low sound vibrating the whole void.

««{{Dream End}}»»

Gentle sunlight broke through the curtains, stretching across the room. I sighed deeply as I opened my eyes, pausing for a minute to think back to my dream.

"Alright, let's see if we can't find you." I hopped out of bed and got ready for the day. I logged onto the computer and started looking for a stalker book website. I found one that looked good enough and went to work.

Age: "Mid to late...40's? 50's?"

Gender: "Male"

Hair color: "Brown..."

Residence (General): "Oh fantastic. How can I possibly know that?" I shook my head and put in central Japan and moved on, hitting the search input. Person after person went scrolling across the screen, each one not even close to the man. I paused when my brother entered the room.

"Hey James."

"Morning Ryan. How are you?"

"Good. What are you doing?" I turned to look at the computer screen.

"My dream last night showed two people, so I'm trying to find them. So far, no luck, but it's still early." He nodded and sat down on my bed, watching the screen as I went through the faces. I tightened the search down and continued looking.

"Do you remember their names?" I froze as I thought back.

_'Fitting, if that's his real name.'_

"Yes, actually. One of them at least..." I reset the search and input the name 'Ikari'.

"Wait, how old was this man?" I stopped and looked at him.

"He was a punk teenager, why?" He thought hard for a minute.

"I'm not sure." I slowly nodded, picking up a pen to fidget with it.

"Maybe you met him at school or around town. Wait...Now that I think about it..." My mind flashed back to when I was stepping off the elevator that first day.

««{{Flashback}}»»

"...Ground Floor." An almost obnoxious female voice rang over the intercom. The doors opened, and when I went to step off, someone bumped into my shoulder as they stepped onto the car, pushing me to the side a bit.

"Pardon me." I said, and when I turned and looked at the person, all I saw was anger and malice.

««{{Flashback}}»»

"That kid...I saw him here!"

"What? No way."

"Yes way! I saw him when I went to Madoka's shop the first time!" I tightened the search and started scrolling through the faces. Face after face, page after page. None of them looked familiar. "Come on...where are you ya pun-THERE!" I shouted as I saw the kid from my dream. "Finally! Where do you live?!" I clicked on his profile and looked through the information. I slumped back into my chair after a second. "...No..."

"What? It's not him, is it?"

"Oh it's him alright." I tossed the pen onto my desk, miffed. "The only problem is that he disappeared two months ago, and hasn't been seen since."

"Maybe you can go and talk to his parents?" I nodded, grabbing the pen and writing down his family's room number on a note pad. I tore out the page and stuffed it in my pocket, shutting down the computer and turning my chair to face Ryan. I felt a guilty look spread across my face.

"Sorry you can't come."

"Yeah, well, we can't all go on a fun adventure. Then life would be boring." I shook my head.

"You're not wrong, but still. I don't think it's fair." I slumped back in my chair. "I still want you to come, but it also sounds dangerous enough with just me going." Our dog bumped the door open and looked at us. I patted my leg and he trotted over, planting his backside next to my chair. I rubbed his ears as he panted. "Besides, who will take care of the poor mutt? There's no telling how long I'll be gone." Charlie walked over and placed his chin on Ryan's lap.

"You are sliming my whole leg, you gross dog." Charlie just panted and wagged his tail as Ryan pet him. "Yeah, someone's got to make sure he doesn't get into the food." Charlie's ears perked up and he 'woofed', recognizing the last word. I chuckled as his whole body began to wag.

"And people say dogs are stupid." The brown furball bounded over to the door, barking at us. "Alright, alright, you impatient basket case." We stepped out of the room and went to get all three of us something to eat. We both started digging into our breakfast when our mom came from around the corner.

"Morning boys."

"Morning Mom." We said in unison. I did a double take and saw she wasn't her normal, happy morning self.

"Are you okay mom?" She tried to put on a smile, but didn't perform too well.

"Yes, James, I'm fine. Thank you for asking." I put my fork down and turned to her. Ryan, catching on, did the same.

"Mom. What's wrong?" He said with a slight tone and she knew we caught her. She sighed and sat down next to us.

"I overheard your conversation this morning in your room." She turned to Ryan. "You really want to go?" A light appeared in his eyes.

"Wait, are you saying...?" She didn't give him time to finish and turned to me.

"Will you protect him?"

"Mom..." I stared at her as I tried to comprehend what just happened.

"Will you?" I smiled and nodded.

"I'll protect him with my life if needs be." She gave me a sad smile, knowing I meant it. She turned to Ryan.

"Will you be careful?" He nodded with a determined look on his face.

"I will mom." She sighed and smiled.

"Then you can go." We both gave her a hug.

"We will be back so soon it'll be like we never left." I pulled back and smiled. "Come on Ryan, we gotta get you packed!"

««{{Next Day}}»»

We headed out of the apartment towards Madoka's shop, wanting to get there as soon as possible. With backpacks resting on our shoulders, and smiles on our faces, we set out. A friend down the hall stepped out of his room, and, seeing us with our packs, raised an eyebrow.

"James! Ryan! Where are you going?!" He called down the hall. I turned and, not wanting to miss a perfect opportunity, raised my arms to the ceiling.

"We're going on an adventure!" I waved as we turned the corner. I could have sworn I heard him face-palm. Ryan stared at me in disbelief.

"Did you really?"

"Yup." I replied as we stepped onto the elevator

"We're going to hate each other by the end of this, aren't we?"

"Probably."

"***Sigh*** Let's get it over with." We finally got to the ground floor and stepped out of the building. I checked for directions and we headed out to Madoka's shop.

««{{¤}}»»

"Finally. That took longer than I remember." I said as we walked up to Madoka's shop.

"That's because every single crosswalk made us wait like ten minutes."

"You're not wrong." I chuckled as I waited for the door to open, but it wouldn't budge. "What the?" I stepped away from the door and back in front of it, but nothing.

"Is it a push or pull?" I nearly facepalmed at the dumb-but-sometimes-valid-question.

"No, it's a sliding door, I've been in before."

"James!" I spun as I heard Madoka's voice. I saw her running up to us with two other people behind her.

"Madoka!" She caught up to us and put her hands on her knees, breathing hard.

"S-sorry we were late!" She stood up and took a deep breath. I waved it off.

"Nah, we only just got here. We weren't waiting at all." I looked behind her to see Kenta and another boy walking up. "Kenta? What are you doing here?"

"Madoka told us what happened, we want to help!" He looked determined.

"That's right. If there is a Beyblade in danger, I'll help in any way I can." The second boy said that as he walked up. I looked him over. Spiked up red hair with a blue headband, a white scarf around his neck and blue coat and black pants over an orange shirt. "My name is Gingka, Gingka Hagane."

"Nice to meet you, my name's James Hokori." We shook hands as Madoka introduced Kenta to Ryan. "So, you seem like you know what you're doing when it comes to Beyblade. What can you tell me about the Bey Spirit?"

"Bey Spirit huh?" He rested his hand on his chin for a minute. "Well, a Bey Spirit is the fiery passion for battle inside a Beyblade. It shows just how strong a Bey and Blader's connection really is."

"Their connection? What do you mean?"

"I mean a Bey and Blader can get stronger together, growing closer together, feeling that burning passion when facing a strong opponent!" He was obviously getting excited. I was intrigued by him. He sounded like he'd been doing this his whole life, and this was his life. Kenta chipped in.

"Gingka, let's not get too into it, James only learned about Beyblade a couple of days ago."

"What?! How could you not know about Beyblade?!" He looked ready to flip out on me. I took a step back, raising my hands.

"Sorry, I only got into town a little while ago." Gingka calmed down a bit, but still looked personally offended.

"But Beyblade is so awesome, how could you not know?" I shrugged.

"As Kenta pointed out, I only found Beyblade a couple of days ago, and Ryan even later when I told him about it." I pointed a thumb over my shoulder. Gingka looked over at Ryan and set his hand on his chin.

"And what do you both think of Beyblade?" The question was armed. He would obviously defend this joy in his life. I thought about it for a second.

"For all of the answers I don't have right now, I'm literally looking for someone I saw in a dream to find a Beyblade that has been haunting me because it's being tortured by some punk kid."

***Crickets***

"I thought you told them?!" I snapped my head over to look at Madoka, and her face went bright red.

"Uuuhhh-I-I might not have mentioned the _dream_ part of it...hehe?" I sighed and took my glasses off, rubbing my eyes. I motioned over to a picnic table and everyone gathered on it.

"Okay, let's back up... It started a little while ago, the dreams did at least..."


	7. Chapter 7

"...And that's how we all got here today." Silence rang on for a while, Kenta and Gingka trying to absorb all of the new information. Kenta spoke up, trying to piece it together.

"So... You're saying that a Bey Spirit has been contacting you through your dreams, trying to get help? Tha-" Gingka slapped his hands on the table, standing up with his eyes shining.

"That sounds amazing! You and this Bey must have a really strong connection!" I took a half a second to control my expression.

"Gingka, I've never even seen this Beyblade before in my life. How can I have a connection with it?" He lost his fire and slowly sat back down.

"...Oh...I didn't think about that..." Madoka cut in, sounding exasperated.

"Gingka! Would you think about it before spitting out the first thing that comes to mind?!" He held up his hands.

"I'm sorry! I just thought that he knew!" Those two went on to argue as I looked over at Kenta, who had been deep in thought this whole time. When he looked up, he had a look of serious contemplation on his face.

"Maybe you two have more of a connection than you think." Gingka and Madoka stopped arguing and looked over. My brow furrowed in confusion.

"I'm not sure what you mean Kenta." He looked off to the side, trying not to sound crazy.

"I-I was just thinking, what if the Beyblade reached out to you because you were the only one it could get to?" I thought about it, my mind going back to a conversation with my mother a couple days ago.

««{{Flashback}}»»

"...I'm possibly the only one that Beyblade reached out to. I'm possibly the only one that knows what pain it is in."

"Stop. ***Sigh***" My mom held up her hand. A sad smile appeared on her lips, eyes shining with unspilt tears. "You are just like your father." I felt a weak smile start to grow on my face. "He can't let an animal or person suffer either, he just has to help them. Why do you think he's a vet?"

"Mom..."

««{{Flashback}}»»

"Maybe...maybe you're right Kenta. Maybe I am the only one..."

"Well let's not waste any more time! We gotta find this Beyblade!" Gingka hopped up and started running. "Come on guys let's go!"

"Gingka! We don't even know where we are going!" Madoka yelled after him. He skidded to a stop and slumped over. I swore I heard him say something along the lines of "I didn't think about that". He trudged back over to us with his head and arms hanging in defeat. I snorted in amusement.

"Maybe the Beyblade should have called on you Gingka. You would have ran into it by now. Literally." Kenta and Ryan laughed as Gingka went red in the face, scratching the back of his head. "Come on, I did get a clue from my dream last night, let's start there." We all went into Madoka's shop and huddled around a computer. I took the "Captain's chair" and started moving through the computer.

"Wow, he moves faster on there than you do Madoka." I froze and slowly turned around, a dangerous gleam in my eye.

"Did you just call me a nerd?" He nearly had a heart attack and backed up, waving his hands in front of him.

"T-that's not wh-at I meant at all-l!" I snapped a smile at him and turned back around.

"Thanks!" All but Ryan stared at me in confusion. Ryan shook his head and explained.

"He thinks being called a nerd is a term of endearment. You couldn't offend him with it even if you tried." All three "oh'd" and went back to watching the screen as I zoomed from page to page.

"Madoka?" I spoke absent-mindedly, focused on the task at hand.

"What's up?"

"I'm installing a live feed hack on the computer, if someone comes to your shop to question you, give them this card." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the same card I had given her, without looking away from the screen. She took the card and looked at it, blinking owlishly.

"Oh, um...okay..."

***Keyboard and mouse in use***

"Wait, WHAT?! What do you mean "live feed hack?!" What do you think you-!"

"Already done." I mindlessly interrupted.

"I-! You-! ***sigh*** Whatever."

"You won't get into any trouble because of this, that is a promise." She slumped down from a second, then straightened up again.

"Better not." She looked over my shoulder again, seeing me flip through different cameras. "What are you looking for anyways?"

"The first day I came to your shop I ran into that kid on the way out of our apartment building. I'm going to try and trace him back to wherever he is hiding."

"Couldn't you just go to his apartment?" Kenta spoke up. I shook my head.

"I looked into it, he disappeared two months ago and hasn't been seen since. I don't know what he was doing there, but, I had _just_ enough luck to bump into him." I clicked on the street cam watching the front of my building. I scrolled the time back to a couple of days ago, and looked through till I saw myself walk out. "There's lil' ol' me, now where is..." I played it backwards till I saw him enter the building. "Gotcha." I plugged in a few lines of commands and selected the kid. It zoomed in and scanned him over, gathering a short detailed report before following him in either direction, before he went in, and after he came back out. It looked like he came into town and wandered around before going off out of the city in the same direction he came from. Both camera trails lost him at that point, but linked up to another city, showing him trailing through that one for an hour. He left that city and headed for the coast, the cameras losing him for the final time.

"Looks like that's the last place the cameras could pick him up." Madoka pointed out.

"Dang it. So close." I pulled up a digital map and looked in the general area that he came from. There was nothing but coastline. "Does the kid live in a cave?"

"I donno. But we could always go find out." I turned around to look at Ryan.

"That sounds like more of a plan than we had 5 minutes ago. Let's head out." Kenta spoke up, bringing up a valid point.

"Wait, you two don't have Beyblades, do you?" Ryan and I paused.

"We, in fact, do not." Madoka snapped her fingers.

"We'll fix that in a jiffy! Come on!" She ran upstairs and we all followed. "Since we might be going into enemy territory, you might want some Attack Types, just to make sure you can finish any battles quickly." She started gathering parts from the shelves, putting some back while pulling others out. Once she gathered enough, she walked over and spread them out on a table. "Come here Ryan and James." We walked over as she pulled out her laptop, opening up a program. Her camera scanned all of the parts and started lining them up, digitally putting Beyblades together for three different categories.

"Wow, that's an intense program." Ryan commented. Madoka started putting together different Beyblades, matching them up with the ones on the screen. She finished and took a step back.

"Alright, you have 3 categories to choose from. Speed. Power. And weight." I studied each out in my mind, thinking about the pros and cons of each one.

"I'll take the power one." Ryan said with only a little hesitation. Madoka handed him one.

"That is Fury Bull 125 SF. Careful, it'll be a wild one to control." Ryan held it up to the light, studying it carefully.

"Awesome." I finished my train of thought and spoke up.

"Okay, that leaves me with two...I'll take the fastest one." Madoka handed me a different one.

"That is Hyper Wolf 105 HF. Its speed is hard to match, so keep an eye on it." I snorted at the irony of the name. "What?"

"Nothing, the name Hyper Wolf reminded me of our dog." Ryan let out a short laugh.

"You are not wrong bro."

"Alright, just remember, these ones aren't as strong as Kenta's or Gingka's. They've been going at it for a while now." I nodded.

"Them, boss strength. Us, goon strength. Got it." Kenta laughed as Ryan clobbered me over the head.

"Did you just call me a goon?!"

"I said we are as STRONG AS them! Not that we ARE them you idiot!" I rubbed my now sore head. "And that hurt!" Madoka rolled her eyes and walked over to the launcher selections. I walked over and looked at them.

"Can you make mine left handed?"

"Oh, of course!" She grabbed two launchers and handles. She gave them to us, along with some belt clips to holster them when not in use.

"Should we give you two a test run, see how well those Beys fit with you?" I nodded at Gingka.

"Good idea. I don't want to go in to possible danger having a Beyblade that won't listen. Or attacks me." I looked at the blue and silver Bey in my hand. "That'd be unfortunate."


	8. Chapter 8

"Alright, you win by either knockout, or one stops spinning." Madoka stood off to the side of the stadium, with Gingka and I opposite of each other.

"Alright Pegasus, this is James' first battle. Let's make it a good one, shall we?" Gingka was holding his Cosmic Pegasus in his hand, a fire burning in his eyes. I felt extremely awkward talking to a top, but I decided 'ah what the heck, everyone and their mom does it'.

"Okay Hyper Wolf, this is only my second battle, so please listen to me." I saw a light glint off the Fusion Wheel, and I swore it vibrated in my hand a little. We both set our Beys on our launchers and stood at the ready.

"3!" Madoka started the count off.

"2!" Gingka sank a bit lower into his stance.

"1!" I gripped my launcher as tight as I could.

"Let It Rip!" We both yelled as we launched our Beys into the stadium. I expected them to drop down as Capricorn and Virgo had, but they both flew across the stadium and landed opposite of their Bladers, beginning to circle around.

"Go Pegasus!" Pegasus dashed around after Wolf, and I called out.

"Let's see if this works, dodge!" Wolf slid around the attack and was now behind Pegasus.

"What?! How did it do that?! Go again!" Pegasus out on a burst of speed, trying to loop around.

"Keep up with it!" Wolf dashed after Pegasus, looking like it was vibrating. "What in the?" I looked over at Gingka, to see if he noticed, but he was too focused.

"Not gonna catch us that easily. Go!" Another burst of speed had Pegasus halfway around the stadium quickly.

"Hmm. Can't catch up to him, better make him come to us. Wolf, in the center!" Wolf changed directions and settled down in the middle, spinning in a slow circle.

"You're wide open! Pegasus!" The blue Beyblade dashed down and smashed right into Wolf, sending it flying with little to no effort.

"What?! Wolf!" It landed with a bounce and started moving again.

"Again, get it!"

"Not this time! Dodge and circle back!" Wolf circled around the attack, once again behind Pegasus. "Now! Before he can run! Attack!" Wolf actually leaped forward, landing right on top of Pegasus with a bang.

"Pegasus!" It landed, quickly regaining its traction. "Alright, you've got some speed, but you can't beat my Pegasus in a race!" He swung his arm out to the side. "Show them your speed!" Pegasus took off in a flash, circling around before smashing into Wolf, sending it flying.

"Hold on Wolf!" It skidded a bit when it landed, sending sparks up. "Let's go!" Wolf circled around and matched Pegasus' speed on the opposite side of the stadium. "Through the middle, go!" Wolf turned on a dime and bolted down to the center of the stadium, coming back up the other side, smashing into Pegasus.

"Fight it Pegasus!"

***Boom*** An explosion rang out and a cloud of smoke covered the stadium. I saw a Beyblade dash out of the cloud and settle in the middle. Pegasus.

"Wolf! Where are you?" The cloud burst open as Wolf came rocketing out of the cloud straight at Pegasus, smashing into it with another bang.

"Pegasus!" Gingka clenched his fist. "Wow James, you are really getting the hang of this! Too bad you won't beat us! Pegasus! Go!" Pegasus landed and dashed around the stadium.

"Don't let it get away!" Wolf chased after Pegasus, but the blue Beyblade put on another burst of speed, leaving Wolf in the dust. "How is it so fast?!"

"Pegasus is known for its speed." Madoka chipped in. "It is one of the fastest Beyblades around."

"Fastest around?" I grinned. "Interesting." Pegasus looked like it was circling around for an attack, but it was too high up in the stadium, zooming right past Wolf without hesitation. "What are you doing?" Gingka got a smug grin on his face as Pegasus circled again, gaining speed.

"Just watch. Pegasus! Go!" Pegasus changed directions, dashing down towards the middle as Wolf had done earlier. "Now do your thing and fly!" It kept going and ran up the other side, actually leaping high into the air. Kenta yelled at him, seeming to know what he was doing.

"AAHH! Gingka! That is SO not fair to James!"

"Oh, come on! I'm just having fun! Hey James," I looked from the flying Beyblade to its grinning owner. "You wondered what it means for a Blader and Bey to have a strong bond? Well here is the result of that bond between me and Cosmic Pegasus!" He pointed up at it as it lost its upward momentum, being high up now. "Special Move: Pegasus Star Booster Attack!" Pegasus released some sort of blue energy and started rocketing back towards the ground, looking like a speeding comet.

"What the-?!"

"Gingka-!"

***BOOM*** I covered my face as a massive explosion rang out, sending a cloud of smoke high into the air and a wave of air pressure hit me. I slowly lowered my arms when I felt everything settle. I heard something metal hitting the ground next to my foot, and when I looked, Hyper Wolf was sitting there, no longer spinning.

"Yeah! Good job Pegasus!" I watched as Pegasus leaped up into Gingka's hand and he started talking to it like it was his best friend. "That was awesome! You did that as perfectly as always!" I stared as Madoka walked over.

"You okay James?" I snapped out of it and shook my head.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I think I'm okay." I bent down and picked up Hyper Wolf, checking it for damage. Somehow, other than a slight scuff, Wolf seemed to be fine.

"How's Wolf?" I smiled at Kenta as he walked up.

"Just fine. Surprisingly so after being hit by a literal fireball." He nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, Beyblades are surprisingly durable. It takes a lot to break them."

"But of course," Madoka said, turning to Gingka, "I still think that move is completely reckless!" Gingka waved his hand as he walked over.

"Pegasus has never missed its target." Gingka held a hand out to me. "That was a good battle, James! Especially considering that was your second one!" I nodded and shook his hand.

"Yeah, Wolf is a good Beyblade, it helped me out a lot." I looked at the Beyblade in my hand for a second, then snapped my eyes back up to the red-haired boy. "Now what the heck was that stunt back there?!"

"What stunt?" Ryan cut in, obviously excited.

"The one where you made your Beyblade throw itself at the ground in a kamikaze dive?!"

"Oh, you mean our Special Move?"

"Whatever it's called, how do I do that?!"

"Well, first, you have to build a strong bond with your Beyblade, then-!"

"Stop!" Madoka held her hand up. "We don't want to waste any more daylight. Ryan, your turn."

"Oh, right!" Kenta got excited and ran around to the other side of the stadium. "Come on Ryan, you'll be facing me and Sagittario!" They both loaded up and got set. Madoka set up where she had been before.

"Same rules as the last battle, ready?"

"I'm ready!"

"Let's do this!"

"Alright!"

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let It Rip!" Bull and Sagittario landed and started circling the stadium.

"Sagittario, take center!" It circled down and settled in the middle, spinning strong. Ryan jumped in head first, not hesitating at all.

"Let's try this, Fury Bull, go!" Bull dashed down into the middle, going straight for Sagittario.

"Dodge it Sagittario!" Sagittario leaned to the side and out of the way, Bull rocketing past.

"Darn it, missed! Try again!" Bull slowed its momentum and turned around, picking up speed.

"Dodge again!" The same attack, same result. Sagittario leaned clear around Bull. "After it!" Putting on a sudden burst of speed, it caught up. "Now! Attack!"

"Bull, look out!"

***Smash boom*** Sagittario had a surprising amount of attack power for a Stamina Type, sending Bull flying.

"Bull!" It landed harshly and kept moving, looking like not too much damage had been done. "Whew! Alright, let's see if we can't change this around. Get in the middle Bull!" It slowly started circling a few inches around dead center.

"What are you up to?" Kenta was confused but decided to move on. "It doesn't matter, Sagittario!" The yellow Beyblade dashed around for another attack.

"Bull! Dead center!" It quickly shifted from circling to sitting still.

"What are you doing Ryan?" I whispered, trying to see his strategy.

"Go Sagittario!" It put on another burst of speed and hurtled down the stadium.

"Now, attack!" Bull dashed right at Sagittario, and while there wasn't much room to gain speed, its Attack Type Performance Tip helped. Kenta looked surprised.

"What?!"

***Boom*** Sagittario was the Beyblade that was sent flying, having the weaker attack power.

"Sagittario!" It bounced off its Fusion Wheel and uprighted itself.

"Bull take center again!" Bull skirted back down to the middle, once again circling around.

"I see now, that's an impressive strategy there Ryan. Too bad it won't work!"

"And why not? You obviously can't get a good hit in like this." I nearly facepalmed.

_'You cocky little...nope, let him learn...'_

"That's a perfect strategy. Against anyone except us."

"Huh? Why's that?"

"Because we don't need to attack. Sagittario is a Stamina Type, and Bull is an Attack Type. We'll just outlast you." Kenta folded his arms and nodded, perfectly content to wait it out. Sagittario was slowly circling the stadium, not wasting hardly any energy.

"Oh. I have no idea what that means, but it sounds like a waiting game isn't an option. Bull, let's go!" Bull left the center and dashed around after Sagittario.

"Knew you couldn't wait! Go Sagittario!" It pulled ahead, starting a chase.

"Ryan seems to be a natural at this. That was an impressive strategy he thought up on the spot." I glanced at Madoka and nodded.

"Yeah, he seems to have fit right in with the crowd."

"Go, Bull! Chase it down!" Bull caught up with Sagittario and knocked it off balance with a small tap, going in for a second, bigger hit.

***Ting Boom***

"Sagittario!" It landed roughly and seemed to have lost a noticeable amount of energy.

"Fury Bull! Finish it with one attack! Go!" Bull poured on the speed, rocketing around the stadium.

"Sagittario move!" It zoomed down to the center and sat there, awaiting orders.

"After it!" Bull dashed straight at Sagittario, giving it all it had.

"Dodge now!"

"Swing left!" As Sagittario leaned to the left, Bull did as well, smashing into it with a big bang. A cloud of smoke billowed up and I protected my face from any smoke.

"No! Sagittario!" Sagittario was still spinning, but it had taken quite a bit of damage. Of course, Bull had used a lot of energy in that attack, so its energy was lowered as well, but not as much. "Alright, time to get serious. Sagittario, get ready!" It powered up, kicking up some dust around it. "This is the result of OUR bond!" I laughed as Ryan looked defeated already.

"What?! That is NOT fair!"

"Special Move: Sagittario Flame Claw!" Sagittario's Spin Track extended, and the whole Beyblade was doused in flames. "Go!" It blasted forward, flames trailing behind it.

"Grr! I'm not going down that easy! Fury Bull! Go! Full speed ahead!" Bull gathered energy as well, dashing forward, and I could have sworn I heard a bull call out.

"GOOO!" Both of them shouted as their Beys met head-on, an explosion rocking the arena. I took a step back out of the smoke, waving it out of my face, Madoka and Gingka doing the same.

"***Cough cough* **What happened?" I coughed again as the smell of burnt metal singed my nostrils.

"I don't know, the smoke is too thick to see." Madoka was rubbing her eyes.

"Wait, what's that?" Gingka pointed to the center of the stadium. I peered through the haze and saw something moving.

"It's...S-"

"Sagittario! Are you okay?!" I saw Kenta trying to see through the smoke. I looked over at Ryan, only to see him on his knees, head bowed. Fury Bull was at his feet.

"Ryan? ...Ryan!" I ran over and dropped to a knee next to him, placing a hand on his back. "Ryan, are you okay?! What happened?" The other three ran over, concerned for their new friend. Ryan's shoulders started shaking, and I nearly fell back when he started laughing with joy. "Wha-?"

"That was amazing!" I simply stared at him as he got up and walked over to Kenta, holding out his hand. "I haven't gotten that excited about something in a long time, thanks Kenta!"

"Oh! Uh, yeah, you're welcome!" Kenta shook his hand, and, with Ryan's smile being infectious, he started smiling too. "Yeah, it was a lot of fun! Let's battle again sometime!"

"You idiot! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

***BAM*** Ryan dropped to a crouch as he rubbed his head in pain.

"Ow, my head! What was that for?!" He snapped at me. I snapped right back, still angry with him.

"You nearly scared me to death! We haven't even left town and I thought I'd have to take you to the hospital already! Don't ever do that again!" We both calmed down after our short shout-fest. We both felt guilty, especially on my end.

"Sorry...I didn't realize I scared you."

"It's alright, I'm sorry too." I gave him a narrowed eyed look. "But you ever do something like that again, you'll wish you were in the hospital." He raised his hands in surrender.

"Okay, geez I said I was sorry!"

"Are you two done?" We looked at Madoka to see her looking very impatient. We answered quickly, not wanting to make her mad.

"Yeah, all good now!"

"Same here!"

"Good, shall we go?"

"Alright! Let's go! No more time to waste!" Gingka started to run out of the stadium, but Madoka grabbed his scarf, pulling him back. His face went blue as it tightened around his neck for a few seconds.

"Would you quit running off to who-knows-where? James is the one who knows where it is!"

"Oh. Right. Sorry..."

"It's alright Gingka, let's go."


	9. Chapter 9

We got to the coast after almost a day of walking, and we took a break for a minute. I stood near the edge of a cliff, watching the water dozens of feet below me. A slow breeze brushed my hair into my eyes, so I combed it back with my fingers.

"Hey, James." I looked back and saw Ryan walking up. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Just, trying not to let this whole thing weigh on me."

"Same, the weight of what we are about to do is finally settling in." He pulled out his temporary Beyblade, Fury Bull, and looked it over. "I mean. We are going to be fighting with these. They are tops possessed by ghosts of different creatures, and they move at our command. It's beyond anything I thought could happen." He sighed, dropping his hand to his side. "I'm not sure what we are about to get into James." I nodded in agreement.

"These Beyblades can be dangerous. I mean, they are basically bombs colliding at high speeds." Ryan snorted.

"You are not wrong. At first, I wondered why the stadiums were so big, now I know it's to contain them for the most part."

"Yeah, no kidding." We stayed quiet for a minute, just watching the horizon. "Ryan...?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me something."

"Oh no, you are not doing this to me." He immediately grew defiant, knowing what I was planning on saying.

"Ryan..."

"I know exactly what cliché 'if I don't make it' speech you are going to give me..."

"Ryan."

"...and I will not run. I will not leave you!"

"Ryan..."

"...We've gotten too close already to sto-!" The whole time I was getting more impatient and I finally snapped, turning to fully face him.

"RYAN! For once, shut! Up!" He looked at me in shock and closed his mouth. "I know you don't want to hear it, but I. Am being. Serious." He gave me a grim look, still not wanting to listen. I placed my hands on his shoulders as he looked away. "Look. I don't know what will happen over the next few hours or even days. I don't know how dangerous this will be. I just...don't know. But I do know this: you, out of either of us, need to stay safe. You, at least, need to greet our mother at the door. If...if for some reason I don't make it, get. Yourself. Out. Get these three out as well. This is my problem, and I should have come alon-!" Now Ryan interrupted me, hissing like a snake.

"Don't you say it. Don't you dare say it. You need each one of us here, and you know it. We are ALL, getting out of there. All of us. You hear me, James?"

"...I do."

"Good. Then it's settled, we're all going in, we're all coming out." I nodded.

"Hey guys! Come look at this!" I looked over to see Kenta standing near the edge of the cliff farther down the coast. Ryan and I ran over, Gingka and Madoka beating us to him.

"What's up Kenta?"

"Look there!" He pointed down to a trail that led down the cliffside. "I found a way to get down!"

"Good job Kenta! Let's go, everybody!" Gingka started down the trail.

"Be careful, the ocean spray could make the rocks slick!" Madoka said, and I noticed a slight mist in the breeze.

"Got it!" Throwing a thumbs up at her, he continued climbing down. We all followed, single file, down the rock face, taking our time checking our footing.

««{{¤}}»»

"Finally, to solid ground!" Madoka collapsed to her knees with a sigh.

"Oh come on Madoka, it wasn't that far."

"Maybe for you. I've never done that before. And I don't like heights!" I wisely held back an eye roll and helped her to her feet.

"Come on, we've got to find this place, wherever it is..." We started walking down the beach, deciding to look along the cliff for any caves. Gingka walked up next to me with his hands behind his head.

"So... Are you alright?"

"Yeah." I said distractedly.

"I just overheard you and Ryan up on the cliff." My focus switched over to him.

"You heard that?"

"All of us could."

"Oh...sorry." He waved it off.

"It's alright, it sounded like you needed to get some things off your chest."

"Yeah." I looked up to see Ryan and Kenta studying the wall, then running farther ahead to do it again. "It's just...this isn't your problem, any of yours. I should be here alone."

"That is where you are wrong." I looked over at Gingka.

"What are you talking about?"

"We came because we wanted to help. You didn't make us or anything. And you can't do it alone. You need each one of us. And deep down, I think you know that." I wanted to deny it, but he was right. I did need each of them. The more numbers the better. I sighed and rubbed my face.

"You're right Gingka. I do need each of you here. I couldn't possibly do this on my own."

"See? Working with friends is a lot more fun too!"

"You are not wrong." I looked up as I heard Kenta yelling from up the beach.

"Hey guys! Come look at what we found!" Madoka, Gingka and I all ran to catch up to them.

"What did you find Kenta?"

"Well, we were thinking that the cave could be hidden, so we were looking for any signs of movement in the rocks or sand. Look here." He pointed to a spot on the wall and looking closer, I noticed some wear on it that looked like scratch marks. "It looks like something has been rubbing against that rock a lot." I ran my fingers over it, noticing some dust coming off on my fingers.

"You're right Kenta, something has been doing this."

"That's not all, look at the sand," Ryan spoke up. "It's like something has been pushing it to the side." Looking at the ground, I saw what he was talking about, a fan-shaped impression in the sand.

"You know. If someone is going to create their secret hideout, they really need to make it less obvious..." I stated bluntly. Ryan nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, no kidding. A couple of kids found this, and we didn't even know what we were looking for."

"Let's see how to get in, shall we?" All four of them replied with excitement.

"Yeah!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry this is a few days late. I'm not doing too good at keeping a consistent schedule, am I? Well, here you go, hopefully you enjoy!**

**~Silverleone**

"Guys I think I found it!"

"Finally!" I stepped back as Gingka pressed a hidden button. A large door swung open and I saw a dark tunnel stretching into the cliffside. "Alright, we need to stay together for this one. Everyone has a light?"

"I've got one." Ryan pulled out a flashlight.

"My goggles have a light." Madoka pulled down her goggles.

"I've got one." Gingka pulled a travel-sized one off of his belt.

"I didn't think to bring one..." Kenta sounded embarrassed.

"That's alright Kenta, I've got an extra one." I handed it to him and we headed in, the door automatically shutting behind us with a low boom echoing through the tunnel. We all clicked on our lights and looked around. Ryan spoke up as he waved his light around the door, which was more visible from this side.

"Hopefully nobody heard that."

"Well, if they did, we'll be ready." Gingka said with certainty. I nodded.

"Let's go."

««{{¤}}»»

"...You are not ready yet. You need to train more before you can try again." A smooth voice said after an explosion rocked the cave system.

"That is so not fair! I am so tired of losing!" An angry voice followed, much louder than the first.

"Then train."

"Rrr! FINE! I'll train. And I'll become even stronger than you! I swear to you!" I heard a cackle that sent shivers down my spine.

"You'll be training for a long time then." I leaned against the wall and peeked around the corner, trying to see what was going on. I snapped back into my hiding place, trying not to make a sound.

"Um...guys, I think we found the place."

"Why? What did you see?" I took out my phone and quickly snapped a photo. I showed it to everyone else. Looking down at a Beyblade stadium, the photo showed two people. One, a man in a suit, was standing opposite of us. The second was a younger person, facing away from us, all the photo picked up was a short, black ponytail, with a black vest over a blue shirt and jeans. I peeked around the corner again, and I saw the kid storm off out the door below us, the man shook his head and left through the opposite door.

"What do we do now? We know where they are, but how do we get that Beyblade from them?" I shook my head.

"The kid might not even have it on him. Last I got from my dreams, he was going to get another one." I looked over the photo. "And it's impossible to tell if he has any on him. We are just too far away." My head suddenly snapped over to look at the hall we had just come down. "Oh, crap baskets."

"What?"

"Shh!" I stalked around them and walked into the darkness. They heard a muffled shout and a thud, and I walked back out, tossing a Beyblade up and down.

"What did you just do?" Madoka asked, kind of scared.

"Just let him get some rest. He won't be needing this anytime soon."

"W-what do you mean by that?!" She harshly whispered, horror covering her face. I gave her a deadpanned look.

"I knocked him out. What do you think I am?" She nearly passed out in relief. Gingka still looked concerned, and I noticed his eyes following the Bey in my hand.

"Did you take his Beyblade?" I tossed up said Bey and caught it, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, why?"

"You should put it back. Even if you launch it, it won't listen to you. Beys have loyalty to their Bladers."

"Huh...Really?" Kenta nodded.

"I've seen it myself. One of my friends tried using Sagittario, and when they launched it Sagittario just sat there, not doing anything until I came around." I looked at the Beyblade in my hand.

"I had no idea..." I walked back and replaced it where I had found it, noticing it seemed warm in my hand right before I set it down. I felt like it was thanking me. "...You're welcome." I walked back to them, my brow furrowed in thought.

"You alright James?"

"Yeah Ryan, just thinking." I shook myself out of it. "Now, let's see if we can't find that Beyblade." I stalked around the corner and looked around the room. Madoka followed me and pulled down her goggles, pressing a button on them.

"...Cameras in each corner, they appear to be deactivated. Must be for observing the battles." She opened her laptop and started typing. She put the laptop back and looked at me. "The cameras are currently disabled, but someone might come into the room, so we need to hurry." I nodded and looked back at the group.

"Alright, we are in the clear, but we need to hurry. Gingka and I will go first, Madoka, stay in the middle. Ryan and Kenta, watch our backs." Everyone nodded and we dropped down from the ledge. I walked up to the door and saw a control panel off to the side. I heard some clicking behind me and saw Gingka setting up his launcher, and the others followed suit. I pulled mine out and had Wolf in my hand.

"Let's go, we're ready." I nodded at Gingka pressed a button, stepping to the side as the door opened. Starting down the hall, I tried to keep my footsteps low. We ran under each camera, keeping out of view.

"How do we know which way to go?" I thought for a minute, and a ridiculous idea popped into my head.

"Long shot, but Madoka, you wouldn't happen to have some thermal sensors of some kind, would you?"

"Thermal? I don't believe so..." I shrugged.

"Intuition it is then." I started going to my left but froze. "Did you hear that?"

*Silence*

"Hear what?" My head slowly turned side to side, trying to locate something.

*Silence*

"That." I turned a full 180 and headed down the right hall. Everyone looked at Ryan and he shrugged helplessly.

"Didn't he tell you he was insane?" They all looked like they didn't believe him. "But there's a method to the madness. Let's go." I was listening for something, pausing at each intersection for a minute. We made a left, and Gingka paused.

"Was that an explosion?"

"That's not what I've been following."

"What?" Gingka looked confused. "Then what have you been following this whole time?" I heard an explosion and a roar of pain followed.

"The sound right after the explosion. It sounds familiar." A recognizable shout of anger was heard, and I stood up straight and walked down the hall. Ryan snapped at me in a stage whisper.

"James! Aren't we supposed to be hiding?!" I looked over my shoulder with a dangerous gaze.

"I want him to know I'm here. Wolf, let's do this." I loaded my Beyblade onto its launcher and stopped in the middle of the long hall. I looked right at the first camera, the things we had worked so hard to avoid, and waited until it turned to look in my direction. "Eat this you creeps!" I launched Wolf and it flew right at the camera, smashing it to pieces without trouble. Wolf landed and zoomed over to my feet, circling like an excited dog. I pointed at another camera and it blasted that one to pieces as well.

"JAMES! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Ryan's face was red with anger.

"Fight me later Ryan, we've got a job to do." The door at the end of the hall opened to reveal the punk kid.

"Alright, I'm training here! Who has the nerve!" I stalked towards the kid and he nearly panicked when he saw my face.

"Do you know who I am?"

"No?"

"Lair." I spat out, a scowl on my face. "You know exactly who I am."

"Yeah? Who are you?"

"I'm the one who's about to pound you into the dirt."

"Ha! You gotta get to me first!" He reached around and smashed the button on our side of the door. "Have fun with that loser!" He backed up and hit a button, the door shutting. I pointed at it.

"Wolf, sic 'em." Wolf sped up and slammed into the door, putting a solid dent into it.

"James are you insane?!"

"You already know the answer to that Ryan." I took a step forward, but he ran up and grabbed my arm, spinning me around to face him.

"You just let every single person in this place know we are here! If you don't get that Beyblade and get us out in the next five minutes, I'm going to kill you before someone else does!" The situation dawned on me, and I took a step back.

"What have I done..."

"A bang-up job, that's what! Now get your stupid Beyblade from that punk kid, and let's get out of here!" I nodded and turned to the door.

"Wolf, bust through that door! Now!" It charged up and slammed into the door, bouncing off it. It rammed it again and left another dent. "Wolf isn't strong enough on its own! Guys, I need help!" We could hear some voices yelling down the halls, and they were getting closer.

"You mess with the bull, you get the horns! LET IT RIP!" Fury Bull flew right at the door, slamming into it with more force than Wolf. A bigger dent was made and Bull landed, winding up for another shot as Wolf sped past it, leaping to hit the door itself. "Bust through, Bull! Use your strength!" Bull bashed into the door and an explosion occurred, filling the hall with smoke. Alarms went off throughout the complex, and spinning red lights popping out of the ceilings. When the smoke settled I saw the door was blasted off of its frame.

"Yes! Ryan, you did it!" He gave me a thumbs up.

"You got it, now go get it!" I nodded and ran through the blown up door. The next room was empty, and there was only one door that leads to an empty hall. I ran down the hall and slapped the button for the next door. The room I ran into was about 20 by 20 feet, and in the middle was a stadium. For some reason, there were toys everywhere.

"Hey! You interrupted my playtime! Oh well! I guess Libra and I have a new playmate!" I looked across the stadium and saw a young boy standing there. He had orange hair with some serious sideburns, a loose, long sleeve jacket and shorts. A launcher fell from one sleeve and a Beyblade from the other. "Come on, play with us! We're so bored!" He said in a whiney voice. I cocked an eyebrow.

"Kid, I'm sorry, but I do NOT have time for this. Which way did that other kid go? The one that just ran through here?"

"Uh-uh-uh. You have to play first! Then I'll tell you!" I dropped my head and sighed. I caught Wolf in my hand and loaded him onto my launcher.

"Fine! I'll make this quick."

"Yuu?! What are you doing here?" I looked behind me and saw Kenta staring at the other boy.

"Kentji! What are you doing here?!"

"Wait. You two know each other?!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry this took so long y'all! I just had an epiphany that should only have taken five seconds to figure out. I've already got this and the sequel written, so why not just edit them and slap 'em on here?! DUH! I forget I have a brain at some points. I'll try to post these one day at a time so you don't miss one somehow. But here's chapter 11!**

**~Silverleone**

"Okay, hold up! I gotta go, but I need an explanation."

"Kentji and I are best friends! Aren't we Kentji?" Yuu asked. Kenta responded with a question of his own.

"Yeah, but what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I have to stay in my room and couldn't play with the intruders. How boring is that?!"

"You have to stay in here?" I looked back to see Gingka standing there.

"Uh, yeah, that's what I said! Man, nobody listens to me, do they Libra?" He looked at his Beyblade in defeat. "Oh yeah! Have you guys seen the intruders?" I stared at him for a minute, my brain trying to wrap itself around the whole situation. I snapped out of it.

"Okay. You, or, whatever your name is, I really need to help a Beyblade in danger right now, so could you please tell me where that kid went?"

"Oh, you mean Ikari? Yeah he came storming through here a minute ago. Looked ready to pee his pants!" Yuu said while laughing.

"Which way did he go?"

"Battle!" He lifted his launcher again, a smirk on his face. I groaned with a hand on my face.

"I will battle you later, I promise! I just need to know which door-"

"I'll battle you, Yuu."

"Kentji?! You want to play?! Alright!" Yuu did a little dance but stopped when Kenta cut in.

"But! You have to tell James what he wants to know before we battle." Yuu visibly deflated at that information.

"Awww, you're no fun! Fine. He went through that door..." He pointed to the one on the left.

"Thank you, Yuu, and good luck in your battle, the both of you! Come on Ryan!"

"We're coming too!" Gingka said.

"You need to stay back and help Kenta if need be."

"I'm strong enough on my own! You guys all go ahead!" Kenta spoke up with determination.

"Madoka, you go with them, I'll stay and help Kenta and Yuu."

"Gingka...A...alright, if you are sure..."

"Yes I'm sure, now go!" I nodded.

"Alright, let's go you two!" Madoka, Ryan and I ran through the door. Further down the hall, I saw 3 guys running at us. One pointed at us and shouted.

"There are the intruders! Get them!" All three launched their Beys at us and I pulled Madoka to the side to avoid them.

"Alright you creeps, I don't have time for this! Let It Rip!"

"Don't forget about me! Let It Rip!" Wolf and Bull charged after the opposing Beyblades, clashing with an explosion.

"Gasher...Pisces...and Aquario. Guys, we have one Balance type, one Stamina type, and one Attack type!" I looked back at Madoka, who was on her laptop.

"Thanks Madoka! Ryan, you've got power, take that Stamina type out. I'll hold the other two off." Ryan nodded, excited to finally get in a real fight.

"Got it, go Bull!" Bull smashed into Pisces, sending it flying. "Yeah, get it again!" I swung my arm out to the side as the other two Beyblades were bolting right at Wolf.

"Dodge!" Wolf slid around them both and stood there.

"Get him, he's just sitting there!" One of the guys shouted, and both Beyblades kept trying to hit Wolf, but it just weaved in and out of them with no problem.

"Keep it up Wolf, you're doing great!"

"You're an Attack Type, not a Stamina Type! You don't know the first thing about Beyblades do you?" I smirked.

"I know your Beyblade is also an Attack type, but mine is conserving energy instead of wasting it on useless attacks. Unlike this one!" Wolf sprinted forward and slammed into Gasher, stopping it in its tracks. An explosion rang out, and I saw Gasher sitting on the ground. Gasher's Blader took a step back in shock.

"What?! Impossible!"

"Totally possible." The second guy grew angry at my statement.

"Grr. I'll finish you off and turn you in myself! Attack!" The second Beyblade rushed forward, only to be dodged again, and again, and again. And he just got redder in the face with each miss.

"Get a grip, you can't hit Wolf like this. Now!" Wolf leaned around and smacked its opponent away.

"Stop mocking me and hold still!" I stood straight up, relaxing my stance.

"I'm done."

"What?"

"I'm done fighting you. I'm bored. You're boring me." The guy's eye twitched.

"Did you just-!"

***Boom*** The guy looked down and saw his Beyblade resting at his feet.

"Wah..." He slowly looked up and saw my face.

"Bye." He took off running, nearly in tears.

"Geez, did you have to make the poor guy cry?" Ryan walked up, catching Bull in his hand.

"No. Did I want to? Yes." Madoka was extremely confused.

"Guys? What just happened?"

"I just had my first official battle against a goon!" Ryan sounded way too excited.

"And I can take on 2 people at once apparently. Not going to push that limit though, Wolf is pretty tired." I held my hand up and it jumped into it. "Let's go." We started running again, and I saw a bright light coming from the end of the hall.

"What is that?"

"Let's find out." I picked up the pace and ran into a large room. Stopping, I looked around, trying to see if this was a trap.

"Well, well, well. If the intruders haven't caught up." My eyes snapped over to the far side of the room as the doors opened, revealing Ikari. I did my best to keep the scowl off my face, but I failed miserably.

"Where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"Don't play stupid! You and I both know why I'm here, and I'm not leaving until I get that Beyblade!" He acted like he caught on, and dug into his pocket.

"Oh! You mean this piece of junk?" He held out a green Beyblade, and while I couldn't see too much for this distance, I knew it was pretty bad. Madoka gasped when she saw its condition.

"How could you let a Beyblade get in that shape?! That is awful!" Ikari grinned sickly.

"I've been using it as my "punching bag"." I was gritting my teeth as Madoka looked on in horror. "It's no use otherwise, it's not strong enough, so I sit there and beat it till it stops spinning. And then do it all over again."

"That. Is vile. Cruel. And disgusting. Do you have any idea how much pain you have put that thing through?" He laughed.

"Pain? It's metal and plastic, it doesn't have feelings. What a looser." I was physically shaking from my rage. Ryan put a hand on my shoulder.

"...James?"

"I'm going..."

"You are going to what? Get so mad you blow a fuse? It looks like the balloon is about to pop! Better get out of the splash zone!" He started laughing again and I snapped.

"SHUT! UP!"

**Ooh, James is a little ticked off. Find out what happens in the next chapter! (I mean, there's going to be a battle...otherwise, this wouldn't be Beyblade.**

**Let me know what you think!**

**~Silverleone**


	12. Chapter 12

**James is tired of hearing the smack talk from someone who obviously doesn't care about anything but himself. Sadly, anger often blinds us.**

**Read on!**

**~Silverleone**

"SHUT! UP!" My voice echoed through the room until everything was quiet. Ikari dropped his hand to his side, looking at me curiously.

"...You are so strange." I did my best to ignore his comment, trying to get my emotions back under control. "Why are you so obsessed with this piece of junk? It's not even strong."

"You wouldn't know true strength if it slapped you in the face." That stirred the pot a bit.

"Hey! What are you saying?!"

"You are too lazy to work for it. You only want the best, and you want it now. Greed is a drug. And you're an addict." Ikari carelessly dropped the Beyblade and clenched his hand in a fist. I flinched when the metal hit the ground, ringing loudly in my ears.

"You punk! I'll knock you flat! Let's go, Ray Serpent!" He loaded up and I stepped forward, doing the same.

"Wolf. Let's rock their world."

"3!"

"Be careful James!" I nodded in recognition of Ryan's words.

"2!"

"You're going down." I gritted my teeth, deciding to end this quickly.

"1!"

"We'll see about that."

"Let It Rip!" Wolf and Serpent landed and started circling.

"Serpent, take the center!" It started heading down to the middle.

"Oh no you don't! Wolf, intercept it!" Wolf bolted around and slammed into Serpent, sending it flying.

"What?!"

"I'm not stopping until I get what I came for." I looked at the Beyblade now on the floor. "We will fight for it! Wolf go!" Wolf dashed around and smacked Serpent, knocking it off balance before going in with a heavier hit.

***Boom***

"Serpent! Get a grip and get in there!" Serpent circled around and slammed into Wolf.

***Boom***

"Wolf!" It bounced before landing and moving again. "Get in the middle!" Wolf was now closer to the center than Serpent was, and it settled in the middle.

"What are you doing now? Get 'em Serpent!" It dashed forward, looking for a quick hit. Ryan cut in from behind me.

"James, try the strategy I used against Kenta!" I hit my fist into my palm.

"Great idea." Wolf settled in the middle and waited for an attack.

"Serpent! Smash it!" Serpent bolted down at Wolf.

"Wait...Now, attack!" Wolf dashed forward and stopped Serpent in its tracks, pushing it away.

"What?"

"Wolf, recenter!" Wolf settled back in the middle, awaiting orders.

"Get it!" Wolf countered again and again, each attempt to attack fruitless. "Augh! Grr! Serpent! Tear that mutt apart!" Serpent tried again, only for the same result. "Gah! Quit it! Just work already! I'm so sick of these weak pieces of trash!" I snapped.

"Hey! The only piece of trash here is you!" I pointed at him. "And it looks like it's garbage day! Wolf! Full speed ahead!" Wolf dashed outwards in a spiral, moving at a high speed. "Go!"

"I will not lose! Ray Serpent! Destroy them!" Serpent and Wolf went head to head, smashing into each other and bouncing away, only to rush back into the quickly forming smoke cloud. I was trying to help Wolf but I couldn't see anything, the smoke was simply too thick.

"Wolf! I can't see you, follow your instincts!" I heard another clash and Wolf landed outside of the smoke, just barely inside the stadium. It started dashing around the outside of the stadium. It kept going and I was wondering what it was doing. "...Wait a minute..." I noticed that each time Wolf passed by, it pulled some of the smoke with it. And each time it passed, it was going faster. "Wolf! I see what you are doing! Keep at it!"

"What are you babbling about now? Fight me!" Serpent burst out of the smoke and tried to hit Wolf, but Wolf blasted way ahead of it, its pure speed outracing Serpent. "Get back here!"

"Keep going Wolf, you're doing great!" I noticed the smoke was beginning to spiral upwards out of the stadium. "Clear this up so we can finish this!" An updraft lifted all of the smoke away, making the full stadium visible again. "Yes! Good job Wolf!" I saw Serpent right in the middle, Ikari having given up the chase.

"You wasted all of that energy to clear the smoke? Pathetic."

"What's pathetic is your strategy. Or should I say lack thereof?" I pointed at Wolf. "Wolf could beat you by itself, no questions asked. I'm only here as a second set of eyes."

"Hah! Yeah right! That Bey is so stupid that it can't even move without orders from its master." He replied with a mocking tone. Wolf vibrated and I took that as a sign.

"Wolf? Sic 'em." Wolf dashed forward, faster than before, and let out a barrage of attacks, quickly overwhelming Serpent. Anytime Serpent would try to attack, Wolf would use its speed advantage and dodge it, only to come around and smack it away.

"Gah! Serpent, get out of there!" It gave up trying to attack and switched to running, but Wolf wasn't letting up. It zoomed around and cut it off, smashing into it again.

"I'm done playing games Ikari. You need to stop this before someone gets hurt." He looked up at me and scowled.

"Is that a threat? Because you should know I don't do well with threats."

"You are too stubborn for your own good, it's going to end badly."

"Hah! For you! Serpent, get in there and fight!" Serpent dashed forward, trying to land a hit, but Wolf was simply too fast. "Graahh! I'm so sick if this! Just beat him already!"

"I'm sick of your incessant whining. All you do is gripe and moan about how pathetic your Beyblades are. If you actually put the effort in, you would know how much potential your Bey has. But since you want power now, instead of later, you are blinded by your greed."

"Blind? I can see just fine, unlike you four-eyes." My head dropped and I felt pathetic FOR him.

"Did you just...? I can't believe that's the best retort you have. I just can't. There has to be a better retort than just THAT."

"What are you talking about?"

_"Four-eyes?_ THAT, is the best that you've got?" I sighed. "Wolf, I need to get out of here, could you please quit playing around now?" Wolf had been knocking Serpent around almost casually, and Serpent simply couldn't escape. Wolf wound up a shot and slammed into Serpent, knocking it away. "Alright, time to finish this."

"I'm not going to lose my punching bag. Serpent, finish this with one shot! Go!" Serpent gained as much energy as possible, seemingly desperate to win. Wolf charged up as well, its energy matching my anger, a small burst of wind coming from it.

"For the last time, that Beyblade, is not, your punching bag! Raah!" Wolf dashed forward and slammed into Serpent, pushing it back. Serpent slowed the attack down to a halt without much effort. "What? How?!"

"I'm not stupid you know!"

_'Could'a fooled me...'_

"I knew a pure Attack Type wasn't a good idea. They simply don't last long enough to tear their opponents apart. So I added in a Stamina Type Spin Track. You've wasted all of that energy, and Serpent is now stronger than your pathetic mutt." Serpent shoved Wolf away. It started spinning faster.

"Oh no! Wolf!"

_'What have I done?! I got cocky! I ignored the battle, confident that Wolf could handle itself! I'm an idiot!'_

"You were so busy being smart you forgot that I have a lot of experience. I've been doing this for years. I know what I'm doing." A dark grin spread across his face. "And now you're gonna pay for it." Serpent dashed forward and slammed into Wolf, sending it flying.

"Wolf!"

"Destroy them Serpent!" Serpent bashed into Wolf and let out a barrage of attacks, small showers of sparks following each one. I looked on, helpless.

"Wolf! Get out of there!"

"No chance!" Wolf tried to run, but Serpent was faster now, and easily caught up, pushing into Wolf with its surprising strength.

***Boom***

"Wolf! No!"

"Hahaha! Now who's helpless?! Where'd all that confidence go?!" He pointed at me. "I'll tear you apart till there's nothing left! I'll make sure that your Beyblade will never spin again! And then I'll finish off this piece of junk! Tear into it Serpent!" Serpent slammed into Wolf, pushing it around the stadium.

"Gah! Wolf! Come on, get out of there!" I looked over at the Beyblade that was sitting next to Ikari's feet. "I..."

"James?" Ryan took a step forward, concerned.

***Heartbeat***

_'I've failed you...'_

***Heartbeat***

_'I can't rescue you...'_

***Heartbeat***

_'I'm...I'm so sorry...'_ I looked at Wolf, who was being beat mercilessly. _'I've failed both of you.'_

**So James is in a sticky situation. Let me know how you think this will go down tomorrow!**

**~Silverleone**


	13. Chapter 13

**So I decided to combine chapters 13 and 14. They were both only around 1,500 words and I felt like that was a pitiful amount. So here you go!**

**~Silverleone**

"HAHAHAHAHA! He's frozen in fear! He has no idea what to do! This is fantastic!" Ikari kept laughing as Wolf was pushed around the stadium.

_'What can I do? I've backed myself into a corner and I can't get out.'_

"Snap out of it!" My head snapped around to see Ryan standing behind me. "Are you listening to me James?! Wake up!"

***SLAP*** My head jerked to the side.

"Moping won't do you any good, you need to fight! So get yourself together, and get in the game!" I felt something inside me, a new spark. I looked at the two Beys that needed my help, and that spark leaped into a burning flame.

"You're right..." I turned back to the battle. "Sorry to leave you like that Wolf, let's get this going, shall we?!" Serpent had knocked Wolf to the other side of the stadium, and Wolf used the opportunity to straighten itself out.

"Serpent! Finish them off!"

"Wolf, give it all you have! We aren't done yet!" A small cloud of dust started gathering around Wolf, and it suddenly burst outwards, knocking Serpent off course. Wolf wound up a shot and slammed into Serpent, sending it flying. "Madoka, what information do you have on Serpent? I'll need all the help I can get!"

"Right! Give me a minute!" I heard her pull out her laptop and start to clack away.

"Give me any information you can."

"Oh, a sudden fire in our heart, huh? Too bad it won't do you any good." Serpent dashed forward, ready to carve into Wolf. I clenched my fist, hoping my anger would fuel Wolf somehow.

"You know? I'm really sick of your voice. How about you disappear?!" Wolf slammed into Serpent, pushing it back. A dark blue energy suddenly enveloped Wolf, and the energy exploded outwards, carrying Serpent backwards.

"What?! How do you have that much energy left?!" The energy again surrounded Wolf, coming out of its Face Bolt.

"We are done being pushed around! And we won't take it anymore!" The energy formed a ring around Wolf, looking like a saw blade. "Special Move, Tornado Terror Claw!"

"What?! How do you have a Special Move?!" He fought his shock and stepped forward. "Well we've got one too! Special Move, Serpent Venom Doom!" Something on Serpent slid with a click, and it suddenly put on a huge burst of energy, tearing forwards with sparks flying from its Performance Tip. "HAAAAAA!"

"James! Serpent's full build is Ray Serpent GB145 SF. Serpent's Spin Track has two ball bearings that just shifted inward! Its rotation speed has increased by almost double!" I didn't want to ignore Madoka, but I couldn't lose focus. I punched the air as both Beyblades dashed towards the center.

"GOOOOO!"

***Clash-BOOM*** I covered my face as the explosion rocked the whole room. I nearly lost my footing as a shockwave hit me, but quickly regained my balance. I swung at the smoke, trying to clear it.

"Wolf?! Wolf where are you?!" I heard a Beyblade move around, and another, weaker, burst of air shoved all of the smoke away. Sitting in the middle of the stadium was Serpent.

It was no longer spinning.

Wolf circled around it weakly. Most, if not all of its energy expended.

"WHAT?! HOW?!" I looked over to see Ikari getting to his feet, shaking in rage. "How could I lose?! That's impossible!" I glared at him.

"I may have gotten cocky, but now I wasn't fighting for greed. I was fighting to protect something." Wolf spun towards me and leaped up into my outstretched hand. "I now understand that Beyblade is a team effort, they can't do it on their own." I saw a few scratch marks on the Bey, and I cringed slightly. "They need us." I looked over at the other Beyblade, still sitting on the ground. I looked at Ikari and glared. "And we need them." His eyes met mine and he shivered. He looked down at the Bey on the ground and scowled.

"You still want this piece of junk? Well fine. But you gotta catch me first!" He grabbed it and ran through the door behind him.

"Hey! Get back here!" I ran around the stadium and the chase was on. I heard Madoka and Ryan behind me, but I was focused on following the sound of pounding footsteps. I turned the corner to see Ikari turn left, and I pushed myself. I turned the corner, only to get a strong arm in the neck. ***Cough*** I landed hard on my back and froze when a boot was placed on my chest.

"I wonder how long it will take until you scream?" He started applying pressure, and I tried to shove his leg off, but I couldn't get enough leverage.

"Get off of him!" Ikari was tackled by Ryan and they rolled down the hall. I rolled to my feet and ran after them. Ryan got a good sock in the jaw, only for him to reply with a knee to the gut. "Just quit being a brat and give him the stupid Beyblade!" He took a swing, but Ikari ducked under it, tackling him.

"Ryan! Get off of him!" I grabbed Ikari and threw him against the wall, grabbing his arm and pulling it behind his back.

"Let go of me! I'll end you! I'll end all of you!" I tightened my grip until he grunted in pain.

"Just shut up. Nobody is scared of you, and nobody is going to listen to you." He jerked again, and tried to break my grip. "You want to ever launch a Beyblade again? Hand it over." Ikari struggled again, but I pulled his arm back further. "Hold still you pest." I looked over at Ryan and nodded. He nodded back and searched Ikari's pockets, finding the damaged Beyblade in his coat.

"Give that back! That belongs to me!" I stepped back, letting Ikari go. He tried to backhand me with a fist, but I blocked with my forearm and sent a straight shot into his jaw. He stumbled and slumped against the wall, dazed.

"No it doesn't. You lost that privilege a long time ago." Ryan handed it to me and I felt an immediate warmth spread through my body, similar to in my dreams. A soft smile spread across my face. "It's about time we met in the waking world." I stopped when I heard a faraway shout, followed by an explosion.

***Boom*** I stumbled as our whole world shook, I looked down the hall to see Gingka, Kenta, and Yuu running down the hall, only slightly panicking.

"AAAHAHAHA! Guys, we gotta get out of here!" Gingka looked like he just made the biggest mistake of his life and he knew it.

"Gingka?! What happened?!" Madoka was worried, especially considering he didn't panic unless it was obvious trouble.

"He messed up big time that's what!" Kenta cut in. "He just made the whole place collapse!"

"WHAT?!" All three of us shouted. Yuu cut in, nodded his head.

"Yeah! Gingky decided it would be a good idea to hit a big battery that held the building's power! Can we go before it FALLS ON OUR HEADS?!"

"Why would you EVER think that would be a good idea?!" Madoka was peeved.

"I got excited, alright?! Let's yell at each other later!" I nodded, trying to stay calm, but also not wanting to get crushed under an unknown amount of rock and steel.

"Madoka, do you have a ma-"

***Boom*** We all stumbled as the hall rocked.

"What?!"

"Do you have a map?!"

***Boom***

"No! I don't!" I rolled my head back.

"Of course you don't. We only truly need something when we don't have it." I turned around and grabbed Ikari by the shirt, dragging him to his feet with a grunt. "Alright punk. Listen up. This whole cliffside is about to come down on our-"

***Bang***

"-heads. None of us want to die, and I'm assuming you don't either. So suck up whatever bit of pride that you have left and get us out of here!" He shook himself out of his daze and glared at me.

"Why should I help you?" I held up the Beyblade I had worked so hard for.

"Because this is the only reason we are here. I'M the only reason THEY are here." I pointed at Gingka and the others. "And if they die because you won't show us the way out..." I pulled him closer. "You'll never get rid of me." I let go and took a step back. "Get us out, and you won't have to worry about me pounding your face in."

"Man, you sure drive a hard bargain..." He gave me a sick grin and another explosion rocked the hall. I held out my hand.

"Truce?" He looked at it and grimaced for a second, before grabbing it and pumping our arms once.

"Fine. But I never want to see you again."

"Deal." He took off running down the hall. Kenta spoke up, extremely confused.

"Um...what just happened?"

"I made a deal with the enemy. Come on, let's go."

««{{¤}}»»

I waved everyone forward and they followed Ikari toward an exit. I myself was waiting until they all passed, wanting to follow up in the back.

***Boom*** I stumbled a bit but kept going as we turned the corner. I ducked under a beam that had fallen in the path, and leaped over some rubble. Ikari paused at an intersection and nodded to himself, taking a left. We ran down the hall and he opened a door that lead to some stairs. He held the door open as everyone ran through.

***Boom-crack*** Part of the wall suddenly burst open, and hot steam came spewing out of a busted pipe. I skidded to a stop and ducked under it, Ikari following my lead.

"Straight through! It'll be the first right!" I nodded at him as we passed and he ran next to me. "So, what happens when we get out? Throw a party or something?"

"Don't push your luck, alright? I still hate what you did to that Beyblade." He gave me an impatient look.

"Okay. How could you possibly have known about that?"

"I have my ways." He glared at me.

"I'm saving your lives, and you can't tell me that much?" I thought about it as we turned the corner. "Hold on, I gotta punch in a code." He sprinted passed everyone and stopped at a door, probably the same one we came in at. The door slowly creaked open, taking its sweet old time.

"Finally! I thought we'd never get out of-!" Ryan jumped as a loud sound interrupted his line of speech.

***Crea-SNAP*** The door suddenly stopped and seemed to drop a few inches.

"What the-! Why did you stop you stupid door?!" Ikari kicked it, only to grab his foot in pain. "Owowowow, stupid!"

"Why did it stop?!"

"Heck if I know! Come on, we gotta push it!" We all lined up at the door and started pushing, but it was hard to get a good grip on the floor.

"Come on guys! PUSH!" The door moved a few more inches, but it still didn't look like enough to get through.

***BOOM*** A massive explosion rocked the entire underground complex, all of the lights flickered and went out. I slowly turned to see the hall growing brighter, and the smell of scorched steel reached my nose.

"Uh, guys...?!" I spun around, shouting. "GO GO GO GO!" Everyone pushed out of the door, Gingka and Ryan having to squeeze through the small opening we had managed to make. Everyone else followed, Ikari going before me, and Ryan and Gingka had to pull me through as I sucked it in to just barely fit. "Get away from the door! Go!" We all sprinted as fast as the sand would allow us.

***WHOOSH*** A huge blast of fire pushed the door open, flying into the open air. We all hit the deck and covered our heads. Luckily, while I could feel the heat, it wasn't hot enough to get burned. The fire spout died down after a few seconds. I slowly checked myself, but other than a possible heat rash for the next day or so, and feeling drained after all the battling and running, I felt fine.

"Is everyone alright?" I stood up and looked at everyone, visually checking them over. Everyone groaned that they were fine and slowly got up. I pulled Ryan do his feet and clapped him on his back. "Enough adventure for you?" He grinned as he dusted himself off.

"Oh yeah, I think I've had enough to last me for a while." I nodded, glad to see he was fine.

"Alright, now that I've saved everyone's lives, ya mind tellin' me how the heck you found this place?!" I turned to see Ikari glaring at me. I sighed and turned towards him.

"You really want to know, don't you?"

"If I didn't, I wouldn't ask."

"Fair enough. Let's get back up the cliff first, the tide appears to be coming in." We all climbed the path back to the top of the cliff and took a seat in a circle. "Alright, everyone but Yuu and Ikari have heard this already." I pulled out the Beyblade I had finally gotten. "It all starts with this Bey right here."

"What? Is it yours or something?" Ikari raised an eyebrow and folded his arms.

"Apparently. Yes."

"What could you possibly mean by that?" He asked, exasperated.

"I mean that up until a month ago, my dreams were my dreams. And up until about a week ago, I had no idea that Beyblade even existed."

"What?! How could you not know about Beyblade?!" Yuu leaned forward, shocked and appalled at the thought. I raised my palms, shrugging.

"I donno, just never heard of them." I waited until Yuu was sitting back again and began telling my tale once again. "Alright, so about a month ago we moved into town. That's when this all started..."

««{{¤}}»»

"...And that's when we met you Ikari."

***Crickets***

"What? Don't believe-!"

"That's. So. COOL!" Yuu was suddenly real close to my face, his eyes shining. "You're telling me that a Beyblade went into your dreams to get you to help it?! That's so awesome!" I gently pressed him back into a sitting position so I could see the rest of the world.

"Yeah, Yuu, it is kind of cool." I turned to Ikari when he spoke up.

"How do I know you're not lying?" I thought about it for a minute, wanting to give him the best answer I could.

"I'm really not sure how to prove to you that I'm not. But if it makes you happy, believe I found you through sheer luck or something." I shrugged.

"...I really can't think of another explanation. It's either that, or you're completely insane." A wide grin spread across my face.

"I was born this way." Ryan facepalmed but agreed.

"He's not kidding you know." Everyone blinked at us.

"What?" Kenta shook himself out of his shock.

"Well, what type of Beyblade is it?" I shrugged hopelessly.

"All I know is that it's a lion." Ikari nodded.

"Same here. I didn't really care, just as long as it made a good dummy." I glared at him while Madoka held her hand out.

"Let me see, I'll have it figured out in a minute." I handed the Bey over to her and she scanned it with her laptop.

"Woah, fancy." Ikari leaned over to look at the screen. Bits of data flew across the screen, too fast for the untrained eye to catch.

"Alright, its full setup is Burn Leone SW145 WD." She groaned. "That's a LOT of damage..." She glared at Ikari with the fire of a thousand suns. He quickly made room between the two of them, not saying a word. I stared at the Beyblade in Madoka's hand, seeing the thing battered and beaten, with a few cracks here and there.

"Burn Leone..." I tested the name, and it seemed to come out naturally. "Huh...Well, it's nice to finally see the thing that's been haunting my dreams since I got here." I reached out to take it again, but Madoka pulled her hand back.

"Uh-uh. I'm not letting this poor thing out of my sight until it's good as new." I looked at her in disbelief.

"What? Oh come on Madoka!"

"No way. You keep your hands off of it." She slipped it into a pouch on her belt and gave me a stern look. I sighed in defeat, knowing that she knew best.

"...Yeah, you're right." She nodded, satisfied that I was in my place

"Good, you'll get it back as soon as it's in good shape."

"Alright, I'm going to disappear now. Just pretend you never saw me, and we won't have any problems." Ikari started walking off in a seemingly random direction, only to stop. He slowly turned around with a strongly embarrassed look on his face. "Um...one problem...I forgot how to get back."

**So what did y'all think? Do you like longer chapters? Because I can keep doing what I did here by combining two chapters from now on. That way y'all get more content sooner.**

**Let me know!**

**~Silverleone**


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry about not uploading yesterday. It was a wild day. My grandmother called us in tears. Come to find out she had tripped over her stupid dog(I love the Lab, but he gets under everyone's feet) And snapped her collar bone clean in two. So I'm going to be staying with her over the next week or so.**

**So yeah, my life is crazy right now.**

**~Silverleone**

"Admit it James, we're lost!"

"No, I thought it'd be fun to go the scenic route, so I made us go the long way!"

"Are you two done bickering now?" My eyes flicked over to Ikari and I glared, not in the mood. "What? Don't look at me like that."

"Tch. Whatever." I folded my arms and looked off into distance, trying to quell the anger before I completely lost control.

"Alright, how about we try to figure this out in a calm manner." I looked over at Gingka.

"Tried that. Got lost. Now we have no idea where we are."

"You're the one that said we should go left instead of right!" My eyes snapped back over to Ryan, who was looking ready to light me on fire with his gaze.

"I generally have a better memory than that on the trail, I'm sorry that I messed up one time! And it's not my fault that our phones don't have service and that I've never been here before!" We held a standoff, neither one of us wanting to back down. Gingka stepped in between us, finally getting tired of us fighting.

"Enough fighting guys, come on. Aren't you brothers?" He looked at both of us. "We can figure this out. Just stay calm." Yuu spoke up, getting excited.

"Hang on, I just had an idea!" He turned and jogged to a small clearing in the forest, standing in the middle and closing his eyes. We all looked at him in confusion. A slight breeze blew past, rustling his hair and clothes. I leaned toward Kenta.

"Um...what is he doing...?"

"I have no idea..." Yuu's eye snapped open and he turned to his left.

"That one." Yuu's launcher and Bey dropped down into his hands. "Let It Rip!" Libra landed and dashed at a tree, running up it and leaping high into the air. "Libra! Which way do we go?!" A green crescent shaped blast flew from Libra, and Yuu cheered. "Alright!" Libra landed and leaped into Yuu's hand. Yuu turned to the rest of us, most of which were speechless. "Come on guys! It's this way!" Yuu took off in the direction the blast had pointed, and we all traded glances before following him, not wanting to lose the excited youngster among the brush.

"Yuu! Wait up!" Kenta ran ahead, and I lost sight of him for a minute.

"Yuu! Kenta! Hold on! We don't know what's out here!" I tried to keep up, but their smaller bodies made it easier to get through the thick brush. A sudden shout of terror ripped through the trees, and I gritted my teeth as Kenta called out.

"Yuu!" I heard someone launch a Beyblade, and there was a clear path suddenly being cut in front of us, something plowing through the bushes. Gingka blasted by me, right on Pegasus' tail, and I ran to catch up. I broke through the tree line, only to be stopped by Gingka's arm. A cliff was just beyond the trees, and I saw Kenta kneeling at the edge of the cliff.

"He's down there!" Kenta pointed down and I dropped to my knees next to him. Looking over the edge, I could see Yuu lying on a smaller cliff about ten feet below us.

"Yuu! Are you okay?!" He tried sitting up but grabbed his arm in pain.

"Owowowowowow! No, that REALLY HURTS!"

"Yuu, just stay right where you are, okay? If you move, it could make it worse!" I looked down the cliffside, trying to find a way down. I dropped my backpack, grabbing a rope out of it and running over to a tree. I tied a, hopefully, secure knot and ran back to my bag. Slipping on some gloves, I started repelling down. I landed next to him and dropped to my knee. "Yuu, where does it hurt?" Tears were falling from his eyes as he cried out, holding his arm.

"Everywhere!" I gently touched his arm, cringing as he cried out. "OW! Don't _do_ that!" I sighed and looked up the cliff.

"Ryan, can you toss me the first aid kit in my bag? Kenta and Gingka, can you go find two really straight branches about a foot long each? I need to set his arm." Everyone nodded and set off to get the task done. Ryan tossed down the first aid kit and Kenta and Gingka tossed down two strong branches. I gathered it all and got to work. "Alright Yuu. I think your arm might be broken-"

"Broken?!"

"Yes Yuu. But I am going to have to set it so it hurts less, alright?" I held up a wrap and the branches, a look of horror spread across his face.

"W-what are you gonna do w-with those?"

"I'm going to set the branches next to your arm and wrap them together. That will keep your bones from moving too much, and they will heal faster. I need you to be strong alright?" He still looked scared, but I wanted to hurry so we could treat him for possible shock.

"I-I don't know. That sounds like it'll hurt!" I noticed a glint out of the corner of my eye and saw Flame Libra sitting on the ground next to his feet. I grabbed it and held it up for Yuu to take. "***Gasp*** Libra!" He grabbed it with his uninjured arm and held it close.

"Yuu. Can you be strong for Libra? I think it is worried about you." He looked at his Beyblade in surprise.

"Worried?" He looked up at me with determination. "I'll be strong so Libra doesn't worry anymore." I smiled, seeing how much of a connection the pair had.

"There you go. Be strong for Libra." I gently put the makeshift splint on Yuu's arm, doing my best not to jostle it too much. I got it wrapped up and helped him to his feet. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"I don't think so. But my arm still hurts a lot."

"It might for a while. I'm not sure how bad it is. Now, let's get you up that cliff." I grabbed the rope and tied a quick knot, creating a loop. "Can you sit in this and hold on tight?" He nodded.

"I can try." I fastened the loop around him and made sure it was secure. Taking a step back, I looked up the cliffside at the others.

"Can you guys pull him up?" Ryan's voice came from over the edge

"Already on it! Say when!"

"Heave!" The rope pulled tight and Yuu was lifted off the ground, slowly going back up the cliff face. Madoka appeared at the edge of the cliff and helped Yuu up when he reached her. The rope was dropped back down, and I was hauled up the cliff, doing my best to help lighten the load by climbing where I could. I reached the top and climbed up, Madoka and Ryan helping me up. "Phew, thanks guys." I packed everything up and pulled my bag onto my shoulders. "Alright, let's get headed out."

"Finally! We made it back." I stepped onto the street and sighed with relief. "Glad my phone got signal halfway here." I turned to the others. "Let's get Yuu to the hospital, we don't need his arm getting worse."

"Worse?!" I sighed.

"Yuu, it'll be fine. We'll get you to the hospital and you'll be better in no time." I checked my phone for directions and started heading out.

"Hey." I turned to see Ikari still standing there.

"You're leaving?" He nodded.

"Figured you all can find your way home from here. I'm gonna head my own way." He started walking off, but I called out, making him turn back.

"Hey! Don't go beating up on helpless Beys, alright?"

***Snort*** "Yeah, sure. Whatever." He waved and walked off. I rolled my eyes and started leading everyone to the hospital. Ryan walked up next to me and glanced at my face.

"You alright?" I sighed, knowing if anyone knew what I was feeling, it was him.

"Not really. The fact that Ikari mercilessly tortured that poor Beyblade still baffles me." I looked back in the direction he had gone. "He probably doesn't understand they might as well be living creatures." I held up Hyper Wolf, feeling it vibrate a little in my hand. "They might as well be living, breathing animals."

"Yeah, you're not wrong. For a second back there in your battle with him, I thought I heard a howl. But it might have been my imagination." I looked closely at Wolf, and saw it gleam in the sunlight. A thought popped into my head and I looked behind us at the small ragtag group.

"Hey Gingka, we got interrupted when we were talking earlier. What was it you were saying about Bey Spirits?"

"Oh yeah!" He went on to explain everything he knew, only pausing when we checked Yuu into the hospital. He talked about how Bey Spirits could grow in strength when bonded with a Blader. How they were really sentient and had a burning passion to battle. How they could, though not often, appear in battle, or in other cases.

"Hold on, I'm going to pause you there. What do you mean 'other cases'?" He thought for a minute, then snapped his fingers.

"I was fighting someone named Ryuga, and his Beyblade named Lightning L-drago. Long story short, he was trying to unleash L-drago's power and take over the world."

***Thud*** My hand dropped on to the table we were sitting at and I stared at him.

"...You're kidding." Gingka nodded.

"No, he really did try. And to be honest, he got close. Way too close for comfort." Gingka went on to explain how Ryuga had created a giant tower to fight Gingka on for the last time. During the intense battle, the tower had weakened, causing it to tilt, and Gingka had almost fallen off multiple times. Finally, Storm Pegasus defeated L-drago, but Gingka fell. I was shocked when he told me Pegasus' Spirit materialized and caught him on its back, allowing Gingka to catch Ryuga as well. When Pegasus landed, the actual Beyblade itself disappeared, going off to rest for a time after the hardest battle it had ever been in.

"No way...So you're saying they can appear in a physical form and you can touch them?"

"Very rarely, yes. Why do you ask?" I stared at my cup of water in my hands, wondering if I should tell them, when I caught a glimpse of movement in the corner of my eye. I looked over and had to do a double take. Sitting close to the wall was the Beyblade Burn Fireblaze. The exact thing I had been thinking about.

"Um, hold that thought. Bathroom."

"Alright." I got up and walked over to it, only for it to move farther down the hall.

"Hey, where are you going?" I followed it around a corner and stopped when it sat in front of a door. I stepped forward and opened the door, watching it calmly spin in. I stepped into the room and walked over when it jumped up on a table. I squinted and noticed that its performance tip was shiny, unlike any others that I had seen so far. "Is your Performance Tip made of metal...?"

"Correct." I nearly jumped out of my skin and my eyes snapped over to see Phoenix to my left.

"Geez! Give me a heart attack why don't you?!" The man didn't say anything, simply sitting there. "What are you doing here? And why do you keep following me?"

"You are an...interesting person."

"Says the stalking basket case." I mumbled. "How so masked man?" I asked aloud.

"James? What are you doing?" I looked back to see Ryan walking into the room, having followed me.

"That Beyblade. I've seen it before." I pointed to Fireblaze as it spun there. The others walked in and Phoenix stepped into the shadows, none of them noticing him.

Gingka caught a glimpse of the Beyblade and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

"Fireblaze?! What are you doing here?!"

"Wait, you know this one?!" He looked around the room, suspicion in his eyes.

"Yeah, funny story..."

"What is happening?" I looked over at Kenta, who looked exasperated.

"You'll figure that out in a minute." I just raised an eyebrow as Gingka flicked on the overhead lights, flooding the room and throwing the masked man into the open. Gingka walked over and grabbed the man by the hair, dragging him around.

"Take it off dad! Why are you even wearing that ridiculous outfit?"

"Dad?!" I called out in shock as I stood there. The man stood up fully, rubbing his head.

"Yes, I am Gingka's father, Ryo Hagane." The man reached up and removed the mask, revealing fiery red hair and brown eyes. "It's nice to meet you James."

"Dad, what are you doing here? And why were you hiding in a dark room?!" A nurse was walking by and gave us a weird look. I leaned back and stage whispered at her.

"He's insane, don't worry about him..." She just raised an eyebrow and kept walking, muttering like "crazy kids".

"I've got an image to protect son! I can't just walk around in gym shorts and a tee-shirt all day!" Gingka facepalmed.

"That's not what I meant! Why are you here?"

"I was checking up on James. He is, after all, a unique case." I held up a hand, but not really waiting for an opening, butted in.

"Gonna have to interrupt here...what just happened? And what could you possibly mean by "special case"?"

"You see, it all started years ago..." Gingka interrupted, not feeling up to story time.

"Dad, we don't have time for this! Get to the point!"

"Alright, calm down Gingka. Basically, James is unique in the sense that there has only been the rare report of Beyblades without Bladers reaching out in times of need." He placed his chin in his hand. "It's an even stranger case that it was able to do so with you James." I raised an eyebrow, and the first thought that popped into my head was 'why _me?!'_. I folded my arms, raising an eyebrow.

"How so, exactly?"

"You have never heard about Beyblade before, much less owning one. There was no way you could have known about this Beyblade in need. And yet," He walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain, looking out at the setting sun. "It reached out to you. Of all people it could have, it reached out to you." He looked over his shoulder with a curious look. "But why?" I shrugged stupidly.

"If I had a nickel for every answer I don't have." He nodded, getting the point.

"I figured you wouldn't."

"Well, where do we go from here? I have no idea what I'm supposed to even do now."

"Train. And become a stronger Blader than you already are." I dropped my arms to my side.

"Okay, whatever. Madoka, how long do you think it will take to repair Leone?"

"Leone? Leone doesn't need any repairs." I turned to see a young man with spiked up green hair leaning against the doorway. Gingka spoke up, surprise in his voice.

"Kyoya! What are you doing here?" Kyoya looked back down the hall.

"Visiting an old friend. Now, what was that about Leone?" I stepped forward and held out my hand.

"That would be my Beyblade. My name's James, it's nice to meet you." He looked at my hand and then my eyes. I could tell he was testing me, I almost flinched at the wild look hidden behind a mask. He reached out and shook my hand.

"Kyoya. So, you have a Leone as well, huh?" I "ahh'd" in understanding.

"Apparently so. I actually just got it today, as a matter of fact." He never broke eye contact with me, and being more ready this time, I was able to maintain it myself.

"Interesting. Think you could stand up to the king of beasts?" I shook my head.

"Definitely not even close, if you're as strong as it seems. I just learned about Beyblade less than a week ago, and I only have had a few battles so far." His stuffed his hands in his pockets, tilting his head back a bit.

"Hmm...How did you do in those battles?"

"Well, I actually won almost all of them."

"You have talent then...and this Leone Bey, is it strong?" I scratched my head.

"To be honest, I haven't had the chance to battle with it yet. I've been using a temporary Beyblade." I held up Wolf. "But this little guy here packs a surprising punch." A glint in his eye appeared as he glared at the Beyblade.

"A Wolf huh...could'a fooled me." I felt a little offended by his comment and pulled Wolf back.

"Now, that's no way to judge a book by its cover..." I looked down at Wolf and smirked. "This little guy might even be able to keep up with Pegasus once we get strong enough." Kyoya started laughing.

"Hah! Everyone knows Pegasus is the fastest Bey around. Leone and I don't even try to keep up."

"That because Leone isn't an attack type. It'll naturally be slower because it's a Defense type." Madoka chipped in, and Kyoya gave her a side glance but looked back at me.

"Maybe so, but I know speed when I see it, and your little puppy has no chance against a winged horse." My eye twitched.

"I'm going to ask that you refrain from mocking Wolf."

"What? Afraid I'm right? Come on kid, you're weaker than I was when I was five." I grimaced, but I had already accepted the fact that this group was way stronger than me. A whole other league? No, a whole other world that I had just opened the door to.

"Maybe so, but I'm not going to let others push me around." We stared at each other, a fire starting in both of our eyes. Gingka stepped forward and held up his hands.

"Guys calm down! Kyoya, James, don't start a fight, alright?" I looked at Gingka and nodded. Kyoya just hmph'd and looked away.

"Tch, whatever, I don't have time for weaklings anyway." I looked at him. Gingka simply shook his head at me and placed himself between us.

"Alright, that's enough. Kyoya, quit trying to pick a fight. James, you're better than this." I took a deep breath and walked away, deciding to push off the whole conversation. Kyoya couldn't resist one last jab though.

"Look, the little mutt is running with his tail between his legs. Looks like I know exactly what I got myself into." I froze mid-step, slowly putting my foot down. Madoka butted in.

"Kyoya! That was completely uncalled for!" I turned and looked over my shoulder, my eyes darkened.

"Be grateful there is a large gap between us, Kyoya. Otherwise you might have a fight on your hands."

"A fight? That's laughable." I fully turned to him.

"I'll give you one warning. If you're not careful, that gap will close very quickly." He folded his arms and scoffed.

"I'd like to see you try."

"Believe me. I will."

**There you go! Chapter 14 up and loaded.**

**Hope y'all stay safe during this crazy virus thing.**

**Let me know what you think!**

**~Silverleone**


	15. Chapter 15

It had been a few days since we had emitted Yuu into the hospital. Luckily his arm wasn't fully broken, it was only a fracture. He'd be as good as new in a month at most. I had gone to visit him at Madoka's place, where he was staying until his arm healed. He and I got along just fine, and I started to see him as a second younger brother.

I was laying on my bed, thinking back over the past few weeks, if not a couple of months. First, came the dreams. Then, the Beyblades. After that, a man who is, apparently, the father of one of my new friends decides to sneak around all vigilante style. Then, we go and rescue the thing that had been haunting my nightmares for a month, which turned out to be a Bey in distress. After we get Yuu into the hospital, I'm smack talked by a kid who thinks he's a hotshot "king of beasts".

After all was said and done, Madoka kept Burn Leone, the Bey we had rescued, so she could work on it. Ryan and I both got back safe and sound, to the joy of both of our parents, and spent the next few hours relaying our surprisingly short adventure, having been only a day or two in total.

««{{Flashback}}»»

"So," My dad was still trying to wrap his head around the information, "These "Beyblades" can move on their own, and have...powers?" I nodded, and he just looked even more confused.

"Yeah. For instance, one that a friend had could jump high into the air and come shooting down while covered in flames like a comet."

"And they are strong too. My Bey busted through a steel door." Both of our parents' eyes went wide as Ryan said it proudly.

"You don't still have it, do you, Ryan?" My mom asked.

"Yeah, but they can't do anything if they aren't spinning. They get all of their power from their rotation." He pulled it out and set it on the table. "See? Right now it just seems like a harmless top. But when it's spinning, well, you get the point." My dad picked it up and studied it.

"So if it's sitting still, it can't do anything?"

"Not that we know of." My dad set it back down and folded his arms.

"To be honest, I'm not sure if I believe you guys. This sounds pretty far-fetched." I nodded, thinking he might not believe us.

"Mind if I give you a demonstration?"

"I guess." I stood up and loaded Wolf onto the launcher, making sure I had room to launch.

"Let It Rip!" Wolf landed and started moving around, shaking with excitement. "Alright Wolf, go over to the couch." Wolf did so, traversing the carpet quite easily. My mom and dad both gasped.

"How are you doing that?" My mom asked, warily looking at what they had both thought was a simple top.

"This Bey is called Hyper Wolf. It actually acts like a loyal dog, and will listen to any command I give it." I dropped to a knee. "Come here, Wolf!" It rapidly spun towards me, quickly going in circles around me. "See?"

"I'm...honestly speechless. I didn't think anything like this could exist." My dad looked at Wolf in awe. I held out my hand and Wolf leaped into it. I held it up for him to take.

"Go ahead and look it over, there's no wires or anything in it." My dad looked it over for a while and then handed it back to me.

"Well guys, it looks like I have no choice but to believe you."

"Okay, but do we get to keep them?" My parents did the classic "stare at each other and hold a mental conversation" thing parents do. They turned back and my mom sighed.

"I'm not sure if we want you to be around them, you two. They seem dangerous." I knew she would say that.

"Mom, anything we do outside is dangerous. Biking, running, swimming. Even if we stayed locked inside of our homes the rest of our lives, we are probably going to get hurt at some point." They both contemplated what I had just said, and my dad spoke up first.

"Alright...but no using them in the house. The first item damaged or person somehow hurt, and they are gone...got it?"

"Yeah! Thanks, dad!"

««{{Flashback End}}»»

"Hey, James?" I lifted my head to see Ryan poking his head in the door. I sat up.

"Hey Ryan, what's up?"

"I think Bull is getting restless." I titled my head.

"What makes you say that?"

"I keep hearing a roar, but it's in my head...James, am I going insane?" I almost snorted but held it back.

"Well, we are already there, so it's kind of a dead-end road. But I get what you're saying." I motioned to the bed and he sat down. He was holding Bull, his temporary Beyblade, in his hand. "When are you hearing the roars?"

"Whenever I'm asleep. And rarely when I'm awake. And I'm sure I heard it when we were fighting those guys back in that base."

"Well, according to Gingka and Kenta, the Beys are inhabited by Bey Spirits. So I'm guessing Bull might be trying to reach out to you. Kind of like Burn Leone did with me." I scratched my chin. "Although I'm not sure why it is, it's not like it's in danger or anything..."

"What do I do?"

"When it's in your dreams, try looking for it. Other than that, I have no clue."

"Alright...I'll try that." I turned to look at my phone as it lit up, my ringtone going off. I answered it.

"Hello? This is James speaking." Madoka's voice was so loud I thought I answered it on speaker.

"James! I need your help!" I flinched away at the volume but ignored my now ringing ear.

"Madoka? What's going on?"

"It's Leone! It's going crazy! I can't stop it!" My heart skipped a beat in recognition of the name.

"Just stay away from it Madoka! I'm on my way!" I tossed the phone to Ryan and hurried to get my shoes on. "Hold this!" I threw on my shoes and a light coat, snagging the phone and running out of the apartment, my parents calling out in confusion. I was running down the hall when I heard footsteps behind me. I stopped and slammed my fist into the elevator button, looking back to see Ryan catching up, holding my launcher.

"Thought you might need this." I took it and attached it to my belt.

"Thanks." We stepped into the elevator and my leg was bouncing, my lack of patience getting the better of me.

"You're going to break this thing." I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. I would need the energy for running in a moment.

"You're right."

"So she said Leone was going crazy?"

"Yeah, I have no idea how though. She must have launched it or something." The elevator dinged and we hurried out of the building, stepping onto the sidewalk, I turned, took a deep breath, and took off at a run. Ryan caught up and we kept pace, swerving in and out of the human traffic.

We turned the corner to see Madoka's shop, and I saw Kenta coming from another way.

"Kenta! Did Madoka call you too?"

"Yeah! She said she needed help! What happened?!"

"That's what I'm going to find out." I ran into her shop.

"Madoka?! Where are you?!"

"I'm down here!" I heard her voice coming from downstairs. "I can't get to the stairs! Leone won't let me!" I started down the staircase, making sure I wasn't making a whole lot of noise. I saw Madoka huddled in the far corner of the room, and it looked like the table was consumed by purple flames. Then I realized I had seen something similar before, my mind flashing back to the hospital.

««{{Flashback}}»»

The Beyblade seemed to speed up, a small whip of wind around it.

***Bird screech***

"What th-!" The Beyblade burst out in flames and I let out a shout. The flames grew to about a foot high, and then sat there. I backed up as far as I could on the bed, trying to escape the flames.

...

The flames sprang outwards, seemingly unfolding. I stared in shock and awe as a bird fluttered its wings a bit before folding them in by its sides.

««{{Flashback End}}»»

I slowly climbed down the stairs, getting to the floor.

"Leone...?" I saw the Beyblade shift, almost seeming to turn this attention to me. "Leone, do you remember me?" I took a step forward, but it lashed out, sending a small lick of flame in my direction. I stopped, not wanting it to catch something on fire and burn the whole place down.

"Leone. It's me. I'm the one you called for help. I'm the one who got you away from that kid, remember?" The flames almost seem to retreat, but still lashed out at random. "Do you remember me? Come on, you haunted my dreams for a month, there's no way you could forget something like that." The flames seemed to recede even more, and the Beyblade just sat there.

"Come on Leone. I get that you are scared. You have a right to be. But I'm here, okay? I'm not going to let anyone hurt you." The flames eventually petered out, and I noticed it was spinning strongly, its balance seemed to be stable. Madoka did a really good job.

"Madoka, try coming around the side of the room. Stay close to the wall." I kept an eye on the cornered Beyblade, watching it for any reaction.

"O-okay..." Madoka carefully moved around the room, both of our eyes on Leone. It sat there, seeming to keep an eye on her. She got all the way around and got behind me, staring at it. "Why did it lash out like that? I was fixing it, shouldn't it know I was only trying to help?" I nodded.

"If it has any inkling of emotion, it's probably traumatized from poor treatment over who knows how long." I slowly walked forward, sitting on the couch. Leone had backed up to the other end of the table, cowering in front of me. I simply sat there, looking at it. It seemed to be returning the look, somehow. "You are just like an abused animal right now, aren't you? You're scared, alone, no idea where you are..." I sat up a little straighter. "Well, there's no reason to be scared. Madoka, the girl over there, was only fixing you. She hates to see Beyblades get damaged and does all she can to repair them. You aren't alone anymore. You have me, and you've got some new friends you can make as well."

_'Can Beyblades make friends? Oh, whatever.'_

"You're in a good place." Leone slowly moved over in front of me, and I hovered my hand over the table, feeling a slight breeze from the centrifugal force it put out. It moved closer, and pushed a small breeze into my hand, almost like a cat would with its head. I hovered my hand over it, letting it get used to me. I held my hand palm up next to the table. "Are you gonna jump on?" It seemed to hesitate, probably knowing it would be powerless once it stopped spinning. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. And until you are ready, I'm not going to force you to battle. Ever. If you don't want to, then you won't." Leone made up its mind at that moment and jumped into my hand. I closed my fingers around it securely, not wanting to drop it. I looked it over, seeing that the cracks were completely gone. I stood up, looking at Madoka, who sighed and dropped to her knees.

"That was stressful! I've never had a Beyblade go wild like that before!" I nodded to acknowledge her words but focused my attention back on Leone. Looking it over, I saw that its Energy Ring was green, with purple accents. Its Fusion Wheel was now shiny like new, and the words "Burn Wheel" inscribed on it as it glinted in the light. Turning it sideways, I saw its Spin Track was shaped similar to wide fan blades, but it was flat like a saw. Its Performance Tip was a wide cone, looking like it would have a good amount of grip when tilted sideways, but would otherwise be on a sharp point.

"Well. It's good to finally meet you, Burn Leone." I felt it warm up slightly in my hand, a low hum echoing through my mind. My eyes flashed as my whole world suddenly disappeared, the walls falling away and leaving an all too familiar black void. "In the middle of the day? Seriously?" I looked around before hearing a roar, followed by some pounding steps. I turned to see Leone leaping at me, and I threw up my arms only to get flattened by it. It was rubbing its head against my chest and purring up a storm, wrapping its legs around me in a sort of hug. Once I realized it wasn't trying to kill me, I dug my hands into its mane, scratching its neck and hugging it back.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here now." I let it calm down for a minute before gently pushing it back, sitting up myself. It dropped its head in my lap and purred. I ran my fingers through its now clean mane and looked over the rest of it. Any bruises or scratches were gone, replaced by a clean, forest green coat. "You look a lot better." It bumped its head into my chest, purring even louder. "And I bet you feel better too, huh?" It stood up and walked off a few feet. Turning back to make eye contact with me, it looked like it was planning something. "Um...what are you-!" It took a breath and let out a roar, bursting into flames. I scrambled back as it stood there calmly, the purple fire licking at its body, but not hurting it. I stood up as I stared in awe, the fire swirling around it in a magnificent show. It let out another roar and swung its head back, the purple flames being pulled up to gather in a fireball. It brought its head down, now holding the fireball in its jaws. It walked over and looked at me, wanting me to take it.

"Um, will it burn me?" It shook its head and held it out. I reached out and it set it on my palm. It didn't burn, instead, it felt good. I held it up and studied it. Purple flames reached upwards as it swirled in a sphere. I ran my hands over it, feeling a warmth spread through me. Leone let out a small roar and the flames leaped to cover my hands. I panicked, for good reason.

"Gah! What are you doing?!" It simply stared at me, looking completely calm. I tried to shake off the flames, but it didn't do anything. Wiping it off did nothing either. "Why did you do that?" Leone simply blinked and let out another roar, the flames quickly spreading across my whole body. I wanted to panic, but the heat was rather calming. I felt the palm of my left hand start to itch, and when I looked down, a small light was coming from my skin. I looked closer and saw a small flame like emblem was forming on my skin. My eyes snapped over to Leone.

"What are you doing? What is this mark?" It stepped forward and pressed its nose against my hand, the flames being pushed off of my body by some invisible force. I looked at the mark and saw it was about the size of a quarter. "If my parents see this, they are going to kill me." It snorted and started walking away. "Hey! Where do you think you're going? Get back here and remove this thing!" It stopped, looked back, then continued walking into the void. "Hey! Leone! Don't ignore me! Get back here!" I tried running after it, but a circle of purple fire suddenly sprang up, surrounding me. I threw my arms up, noticing that they were hot enough to burn me, unlike the fire before. "Leone!"

'_Is he leaving me to burn?!' _The flames grew until I couldn't see Leone anymore. Then the daydream fell apart, and I found myself back in the Madoka's shop.

"...-James! James, wake up! Come on not again, wake up!" I slowly rolled my head back, trying to get a grip on what just happened. Madoka was shaking my shoulder as Ryan, Kenta, and Gingka, stood off to the side.

"Wah? Madoka? Where am I? What happened?" I sat up, my brain was still foggy and I couldn't think straight.

"You passed out again James. Are you okay, do I need to call an ambulance?"

"No, no I think I'm okay. Wait!" I jerked my head over and looked at the palm of my hand. Nothing. No tattoo. I dropped my head and hand, letting out a sigh. "Okay. I'm good now." She gave me a weird look. Ryan stepped into the conversation.

"James, what happened man? We were just walking down the stairs when I saw you pass out. I almost didn't stop your head from hitting the floor.

"I'll be honest, Leone just pulled me into a daydream."

"It what?" Gingka spoke up, shock in his voice.

"Yeah. I was holding Leone in my hand when it knocked me out. Luckily it only wanted to thank me. But it did something strange." I went on to explain what it did with the fire, and how it left a mark on my hand. But when I held it up for everyone to see, there was nothing. "And then I woke up."

"That's...you weren't even out for very long." I shrugged, having no clue how to answer.

"I just hope it never does it while I'm out in public..."


	16. Chapter 16

**Here is chapter 16 for you! This one is the longest so far at around 3,800 words. James is going to have to make a hard decision this time, but what is the decision? And will he make the right choice? **

**Well, what are you waiting for? Go on!**

**~Silverleone**

"What are you doing?!"

***Crash***

"You dumb dog! Gimme that!" Ryan looked up from the TV to see our dog, Charlie, scrambling down the hall, a look of panic on his face with something in his mouth. I soon followed in pursuit, my bare feet giving me more purchase on the hardwood than his tough paw pads. I chased the dog around the kitchen island and into the living room. Charlie made a beeline for the couch and Ryan threw up his hands.

"Charlie no!" Charlie leaped at Ryan, slamming into him and knocking both of them, and the couch, backwards. "Oof! AAHH!"

***Thud*** I had to stop and laugh when I saw the looks on both of their faces.

"Get, off, you, fat, dog-!" He shoved the Lab off of him and coughed as he got up. I walked over and helped him set the couch upright, then snagged Charlie by the collar before he could run off again.

"First of all, gimme back my Beyblade!" I rescued Hyper Wolf from his jaws and pointed at him. "Second, you know better than to be on the couch." He lowered his head. Ryan rubbed his neck as he stood up.

"Geez, well if I wasn't awake, now I am."

"Sorry. I don't know what got into him. He was just growling at Wolf and then grabbed it." I scratched my head. "That's the third time this week he's growled at it." Ryan cocked an eyebrow at the dog.

"What's the matter mutt? Don't like Wolf?" Charlie looked at the Bey in my hand and let out a low growl. I held Wolf close and pointed at Charlie.

"Uh uh. No." He gave me a side glance and stalked off. I raised an eyebrow at him. "What is your problem?" I mumbled.

"Maybe it has something to do with Wolf being a canine Beyblade?" I looked at the blue and silver Bey.

"You think so?"

_'What if...?'_ The Fusion Wheel glinted, and my grip tightened a little.

««{{¤}}»»

"Wolf...I don't think I can keep you..." The Beyblade froze on the spot, its energy dropping a noticeable amount. I was out behind our apartment complex, a small Beyblade stadium sitting in the ground. I had launched Wolf into it so it could run around for a bit. But that thought from earlier kept bugging me and it wouldn't leave. "Don't take it the wrong way, you are an amazing Beyblade. You have done so much for me. You helped save another Beyblade that was in danger. I couldn't have done it without you." I sighed as it made a quick circle, enjoying the praise. "You really are a dog aren't you?" It vibrated lightly and I smiled weakly. "Wolf, in all seriousness, I don't know if I'm the right Blader for you." It seemed to tilt sideways, another vibration making its Fusion Wheel ring in a whine-like fashion. "I really do want to keep you. But Charlie is getting aggressive, and I don't want you to get damaged." It slowly spun down into the middle of the stadium, sitting in the middle for a minute. Almost like it was thinking. I watched the rotation, almost in a trance.

"Hey, you using that stadium?" I looked up to see a boy and a girl walking up, both of them holding Beys.

"Oh, no go ahead." I held my hand up and Wolf jumped into it. I stepped over and took a seat on a bench nearby.

"Sweet, thanks! Alright, let's try this one out, I've only got it for 30 minutes so let's make this quick." The boy walked around to one side of the stadium, smirking at the comment.

"Alright. But you might want to rethink buying it when I'm done with you."

"We'll see about that." I couldn't help but watch as they loaded up and counted down.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let It Rip!" The Beys flew across the stadium and landed, both of them going for the middle.

"I designed this Bey for maximum Stamina, you won't outlast me now!"

"We'll see about that, I'll be sure to wear you down first. Go!" One Bey dashed around and slammed into the other, knocking it away with surprising ease. I squinted when I realized that the girl's Fusion Wheel wasn't silver like normal, it was white. That Beyblade had a plastic Fusion Wheel. Her friend, on the other hand, had a metal one. I could see it glinting in the sun as it let out a barrage of attacks.

_'There's no way she can win with a plastic Fusion Wheel. Physics alone would argue that.'_

"You're not going to win, go!" The plastic one moved around and hit the metal one, only to glance off of it like a fly on a windshield. "What?! Why didn't my attack work?" I chipped in, grateful I had done more research.

"You have a plastic Fusion Wheel. Your Beyblade probably isn't heavy enough to do a lot of damage against a metal Fusion Wheel." She looked at me in shock, then turned to her friend.

"Is that why you're always beating me?!" He shrugged.

"Guessed right. Finish 'em off!" The metal Bey dashed around and slammed into the plastic one, making it land in front of its owner outside of the stadium. The first kid fell to her knees and picked it up. "You lose again."

"Well that's just great, where am I supposed to get a metal Fusion Wheel? I've never seen one in the shops before!"

"That's because you keep going to the cheapest shops in town. You gotta go down near the beach to find the good parts." I stood up, getting an idea. I walked over to the kid who lost and handed her Madoka's card.

"Here. Meet me at this shop today at 3. I know the owner and can help you out."

"Really?!" I nodded, my grip on Wolf tightening a little.

"Yeah, I think I know exactly what you need."

"Awesome, thanks!"

««{{¤}}»»

***Ding ding ding***

"Hello, welcome to the, hi James!"

"Hey Madoka. Could we talk?"

"Yeah, sure. What's up?"

««{{¤}}»»

"...Are you sure that's what you want?"

"I don't know, to be honest. I don't want to give Wolf up, but my dog won't leave it alone. I had to wash it earlier today because he took off with it." Madoka slowly nodded her head as she listened.

"So you still think this girl you met will be a good match?"

"Yeah, I noticed her checking over the Bey she was borrowing after the battle. She must take care of them." She nodded.

"That's good. ...But do you think Wolf will be okay will all of this?" I sighed and pulled it out.

"Let's find out." I loaded it onto my launcher and jerked the ripcord. Wolf landed on the floor and hopped up to the table, moving around a bit before stopping to vibrate in front of Madoka. "Wolf, do you remember what I said earlier? About not being able to keep you?" Wolf hesitated for a moment but vibrated as an answer. "Well, I think I found someone who could be a really good match for you." Wolf slowly moved to the edge of the table, almost as if it was reaching out to me. I clenched my jaw for a moment before relaxing. "Wolf...don't make this harder than it needs to be, please." I sat down at the table and rested my arm on it. "I don't want you to think I don't like you, because that is just not true. You helped rescue Burn Leone, and that is something I will always be grateful for." I hovered my hand over the Bey, feeling the wind it put off. "But I want you to be with someone who will make you their number one focus. With Leone, I won't be able to do that. You would just sit there half the time, and with what you have done for me and Leone, you don't deserve that." I looked up when I heard the door open.

"Hello?" The girl from earlier walked in, looking around in awe. Madoka excused herself and stood up.

"Hi! Welcome to my shop, can I help you with anything?" The girl noticed me before she could answer.

"Hey, you're that kid from the park, right?" I stood up and nodded.

"Yep. This is Madoka, she runs this place."

"So, you can help me get a really strong Beyblade? I can't ever beat my friend." Madoka nodded.

"I can help with that. But first, there is a Beyblade you should look at." She stepped to the side and motioned over to the table I was at. I stepped back so she could see Wolf spinning calmly. She walked over and bent down to look at it.

"What is it?"

"It's Hyper Wolf, an Attack Type." I reached out and picked it up, holding it out for her. "Here, take a look."

"It's really light, does it actually have any attack power?" She asked as she looked it over. I nodded.

"It's lighter so it can move easier. It's not really for smashing into opponents, it's more built for barrage attacks." She "ah'd" in understanding. "Now I have to warn you, its last owner is leaving it for someone to take care of it. They want to make sure it's going to the right owner. Are you going to take care of it?" I coughed when Madoka tried to speak up.

"Why is its owner leaving it? Is it not strong?" The girl asked.

"Oh no, it's strong alright. He just couldn't keep it any longer." Madoka seemed to catch on and stayed silent. "He wanted to make sure it goes to a good Blader that will take care of it. Are you going to treat it well?" Her eyes lit up.

"I'm not one to treat a gift like it's nothing. I will take good care of it!" I smiled.

"I figured you would say that." Madoka chipped in.

"And my shop is open at any time. So if you need repairs just stop by, and I'll be happy to do it."

"That is awesome, thank you so much guys!" I nodded.

"Don't even worry about it. Just go have some fun." I looked down at the Bey in her hand. I saw the Face Bolt gleam a little and relaxed.

_'Wolf feels safe around her. That's good, hopefully, they'll become a strong team.'_

"Alright! Maybe I'll see you around town!" She waved at us as she stepped out the door.

"Yeah! Maybe we can battle some time too!"

"That'd be awesome! See ya later!" Madoka and I waved as she stepped out. When she was out of sight, I slumped back onto the bench I had been sitting on.

"Why didn't you tell her Wolf was yours?" I looked up at Madoka.

"Because that would have made things all the harder for me." I sighed and rubbed my face. "Wolf had been trying to bond with me since I got it, and I withheld myself. I had the feeling it wouldn't be around forever once I got Leone." I smiled. "Besides, that kid fits the bill better than me, Wolf will have a lot of fun with her." Madoka gave me a look that said two things, one, 'you are crazy', two, 'you really care'.

"You didn't want to take the chance of her not taking it if she knew you were giving it to her."

"Yeah." I sighed and pulled out Leone. "Now, I have my focus solely on Leone. Which is needed." I had a thought pop into my head. "Do you have a stadium in here?"

"Oh, yeah, why?"

"I want to try something..."

««{{¤}}»»

I stood above the stadium, my launcher in hand.

"Alright Leone. We aren't going to be battling, but I just want to help us get used to each other. That way whenever you are ready, we can battle someone." I loaded up and took my stance.

"Oh, hold on, I just had an idea!" Madoka ran upstairs and I heard her rustling around. Soon enough she came back down and handed me something.

"What's this?" It was a plastic block with a glass dome on the top, a loose ball floating inside it.

"It attaches to your launcher. Whenever you get ready to launch, you can tell what angle you're holding it at." She held up a finger, "The more balanced your launcher is, the easier it is for your Bey to land and stay balanced."

"Oh. That's actually really cool!" I attached it to my launcher and got ready. When my launcher was balanced, my arm felt like it was being strained. "Okay, that's, different." I grunted as I tried to adjust my stance but couldn't seem to get comfortable, and my balance was off. "What's going on?"

"You're too tense like that." Madoka and I looked up to see Gingka leaning over the railing of the staircase.

"Hey Gingka! Any way you can help me with that?" He came down to the stadium and stood across from me, holding out his empty launcher. He took his stance.

"See? I'm able to relax like this. With the way you're standing, you can't relax." I nodded in understanding. I copied his stance and noticed my body felt more relaxed, and I wasn't fighting to keep my balance as much.

"Wow, that's a world of difference." He stood up, putting a fist on his hip.

"Yeah, and being more relaxed means you can launch easier too. Try a shadow launch."

"Is that like shadow boxing?" He tilted his head.

"I guess it's similar. You're just launching without your Bey."

"Okay, I'll try that." I took Leone off of the launcher and took the stance Gingka showed me. I pulled the ripcord as hard as I could.

"Good, again." I slumped a little.

"What, are you my personal trainer now?" He smirked.

"James, I could work you into the ground. Again." I sighed and decided not to fight it. I pretended to launch again. "Again." I noticed Madoka went over to her workbench and started doing something. "Again."

««{{¤}}»»

"My arm!" I dropped onto the couch and held my forearm. My forehead was covered in a light sheen of sweat, and it wasn't even hot inside.

"Yeah, it's going to hurt the first few times." Gingka sat across from me. "You're lucky, I went easy on you and you did better than expected."

"Went easy on me huh?"

"Yeah, you only did 200 shadow launches. Every morning I do around 1,500." I stared at him.

"You're kidding?"

"Nope. I've been at this since I was a kid, so I'm a lot stronger than someone who is just starting out, like you." I grumbled under my breath. "Now that you've got the launch down, what do you say to a battle?" Madoka froze and slowly turned around. As she was behind Gingka, he couldn't see her, but his face went from a smile to panic. "O-of course, we'll do it somewhere else! We wouldn't want to disturb Madoka and her VERY important work." I caught Madoka's eye and I shrank a little.

"Y-yeah, let's not disturb her...!" Gingka and I were up and fighting to reach the stairwell first. I was able to get past him and took the stairs three at a time. We got out of the shop and dropped against a street lamp, both of us nearly having a heart attack. "How is she so scary?! She's not even 15!"

"That's what I want to know!" We both sighed and I followed Gingka to the nearest stadium.

"So you've been doing this since you were a kid huh?"

"Yup, I grew up in a small town, and there wasn't a whole lot to do other than Beyblade. So my friend and I were always battling. Eventually, he was the only one who could beat me in the town. Especially once I got Pegasus."

"How'd you get it?" A haunting look came over him.

"My dad gave it to me." Okay, this sounds like an unpleasant back story. "Remember when I told you about Ryuga? Well, at first he didn't have L-drago. Our town was in charge of keeping it hidden and safe."

"So he got power hungry and stole it."

"Yeah. When he took it, the cave it was in collapsed, and my dad was in there. I thought he died. But before he did, he sent Pegasus over to me."

"But he's alive...right? He's the weird guy in the hospital?"

"Yeah. But I only found out about a year ago. I thought I was the only Hagane left. But, somehow he made it out."

"Okay... So, what makes L-drago so dangerous?"

"It could steal its opponent's energy, leaving the Bey and Blader near lifeless." I stared at him in shock.

"How does it do that?!"

"Most Beyblades spin to the right. L-drago spins left, absorbing most of any attacks." His eyes narrowed as we walked. "It could steal energy from their Blader's Spirit, draining them until they couldn't even move." He grimaced at the thought. "He had done that to three or four of my friends, and he used that power against me. L-drago had even taken over Ryuga, turning him into a monster." I let everything that he just told me sink in.

"So there is a Beyblade out there that steals people's life force?" Gingka nodded.

"Thankfully, once L-drago was defeated, the energy it took was returned."

"What happened to it?"

"Ryuga realized he couldn't control it with all of that dark energy, so he somehow got rid of it all, turning it into Meteo L-drago. It could still steal energy, but in a way less dangerous way." He went on to explain how it had rubber on its Fusion Wheel, allowing it to gain energy from almost any attack.

"I didn't think anything like that could be possible..."

"That's L-drago for you. I actually like it now, it's a strong opponent." He sighed. "And Ryuga learned from the whole experience. He doesn't try to take over the world in an evil way, he just works to get stronger."

"That is...a lot to take in." We arrived at the park and I pulled out Leone. "Hey Leone, do you feel like you are good enough to battle?" I didn't get a response for a few seconds. "It's okay if you don't want to, remember, I said I wouldn't force you to battle. And Gingka isn't going to go crazy, I just want to see how strong you are." A small glint off of the Face Bolt seemed hesitant. "Hmm...I have an idea."

««{{¤}}»»

"Alright, so Pegasus and I aren't going to do anything, right? We're just going to let Leone get used to another Beyblade in the stadium."

"Right. Leone is probably still hesitant after all it's been through."

"Alright, let's try it!" We loaded up and got set.

"3!"

"2."

"1."

"Let It Rip!" Leone and Pegasus landed in the stadium and started circling. Leone immediately moved to the center while Pegasus calmly circled around.

"Madoka's work is good as always." Gingka said, pumping a fist. I nodded.

"It seems impossible for something to be that balanced. Alright Leone, how are you feeling?" It simply stayed where it was at, spinning in the center. "Leone?"

"Maybe it's not sure what to do... After all, there's no telling how long it's been since it has had a regular battle." I nodded.

"That's true. Alright Leone, let's try an attack." It just sat there. "Leone?" I had to throw my hand up to stop Leone from hitting me in the face when it launched itself out of the stadium without warning. "Woah! Leone, what going on?!" I looked at it with concern.

"I've never seen a Beyblade do that before...Leone must not be ready to battle."

_"My_ Leone is always ready to battle. Sounds like that one is just a scaredy cat." My lips tightened and I turned it see Kyoya walking up. "Did your Beyblade seriously just forfeit a battle on its own? How pathetic." I felt defensive over my Bey and held it close.

"Hey, watch it! Leone has been through a lot." He scowled.

"Tch. You need to get over yourself." I started to snap back, but Gingka got there first.

"Kyoya! That was uncalled for!" I ignored him, sick of this kid.

"I'm not going to get over anything but your giant ego!" I turned and walked away.

"Hey! Nobody insults me and gets away with it!" I heard him load up so I turned, my eyes stone cold.

"I'm not going to fight you. Burn Leone isn't ready."

"What happened to your little puppy Bey?" My gaze darkened.

"I gave it to someone who could appreciate it more than me." I turned to walk away again.

"Gave it to someone? Hmph. Whatever. I'll make that Leone battle! Let It Rip!" I ducked when I heard those three words, knowing the Bey would fly at me.

"Pegasus!" I heard a clash of metal As Pegasus stopped Fang Leone in its tracks.

"What's the big idea?! Out of my way!" Another clash. I turned to see a green and white Beyblade knocking Pegasus away.

"Burn Leone isn't ready to battle, so I'm not going to let you force it. Back off Kyoya."

"Grr, I'll send you flying and then beat him!" I saw a feral gleam in his eyes growing. His hair appeared to match his expression, almost growing wilder.

_'Does he feel...threatened by me? Could he feel challenged by another Leone Bey?'_ I stepped forward.

"Enough. Kyoya, I'm not going to fight you. Burn Leone was tortured by its last Blader, so it's too scared to battle. I'm not going to force it to do anything against its will, so stand down." I saw something in his eyes change when he heard me. Surprise or realization, I couldn't tell. But I kept a hard look on him. He held up his hand after a while, his Leone jumping into it.

"Tch. Pathetic. I'm outta here." I watched him walk away with his hands in his pockets. Gingka caught Pegasus

"Sorry about Kyoya. Sometimes he lets the whole King of Beasts thing get to his head."

"No, I think I understand. He's been here for a while, and here comes this less experienced Leone Blader trying to force their way into the pride. He's probably scared of losing his position of 'king'." I scratched my head. "Thanks for the save, he's strong enough to blast me away without hesitation, if he's as strong as you are."

"Don't mention it. If Burn Leone won't even stay in the stadium with Pegasus, then there is no way it would fight Fang Leone." I nodded as I glanced at the mentioned Bey. Burn Leone timidly gleamed in the sunlight. I smiled knowingly.

"Too true."

**So James decided that Wolf would be better off with someone who could appreciate it better. Granted he grew to care for it, but Leone was going to be his main focus when it came to Beyblading, and he didn't want to neglect Wolf.**

**I hope you enjoyed!**

**~Silverleone**


	17. Chapter 17

***Roar***

"Gah! Geez Leone don't scare me like that." I turned around and saw the lion standing behind me. It looked slightly embarrassed and ducked its head. "Oh don't worry about it, I'm alright bud." I knelt down and rubbed my hand through its mane. It pushed into it, a low rumble sounding. "Hey, I'm sorry if I pushed you too far today. I thought you were ready." Its eyes were darkened a little, and it pushed into my hand. I looked around and noticed I wasn't in a black void this time, I appeared to be on the side of a mountain, about a dozen feet from a cliff. The world around us was dark, the sky shrouded by dark clouds.

"Well that's new..."

"So. This is what I have to deal with?" I spun around and put my arms out to the side, expecting to see someone. But no one was there.

"Who's there?!" I shouted. The same voice spoke up again, and I noticed it was a strong, formal sounding, female voice.

"Well. I didn't think you could be so rude." I looked around, but didn't see anything. I heard a roar and looked up to see something orange high above us, coming towards us at a rapid pace. I backed up, making sure Leone was behind me.

_'Is that a dragon?!'_ It circled around us a couple of times and stopped to float in front of us.

"Who are you?!"

"No reason to shout." I turned down the volume a little, my fear making my voice higher than necessary.

"I'm not, now answer the question." The dragon gave me a disgruntled look before looking behind me, shifting its head to the side.

"Not the bravest cat I've seen." I looked back to see Leone shaking, its eyes the size of dinner plates. I held my arms out, giving the dragon a look.

"Leone's been through a lot. Now what do you want." The dragon moved its head to face me again.

"No reason to be short with me. I'm here to help." Getting what the dragon was saying, my eyes squinted.

"Leone's not ready to fight."

"Have you tried?"

"Yes."

"But you didn't force it."

"Of course not." I spat.

"Then it will never be ready." It said matter-of-factly. I gritted my teeth.

"Leone was tortured by its last owner. Abused, mistreated. I'm not going to do anything like that." I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. "Leone will battle when it's ready." The dragon snorted and shifted its body in the air. "And you never answered my question. Who are you?"

"Some people call me Terror. Others, though few, call me Beauty. I prefer...Majesty." I nearly rolled my eyes.

"Alright, Majesty. I'm sorry but there's not much you can do here. Leone won't fight so I won't make it."

"Then I will." I planted my feet, a full glare etching itself onto my face.

"No, you will not." It tilted its head, baring its teeth in what appeared to be a sick grin.

"You think you can stop me?"

"Doubtful. But that doesn't mean I won't try." It paused for a second before racing towards us in the blink of an eye. All of my instincts were telling me to move, but I locked myself to my position. My eyes shut when jaws came down.

***SNAP*** I cracked an eye and saw the dragon staring at me. It pulled back a little.

"Hmm...Your resolve to protect it is stronger than your will to live." It floated back a little ways and I dropped my arms, suddenly feeling very weak.

"Yeah? Who'd've thought?" The dragon turned its attention to Leone.

"Your Blader cares enough to protect you..." My eyes squinted at it.

_'What are you planning...?'_

"Are you willing to protect him?!" Its tail lashed out and hit me, knocking me away. I landed on the ground and rolled once or twice. Leone roared and ran over to me, helping me stand.

"Thanks bud. Hey! What's the big idea?!" I coughed out.

"If Leone won't protect you, then there is no reason for you to have it." I snapped.

"You have NO right to say that!"

"Then Leone needs to protect you." Its tail lashed out again, but this time it wrapped around me and lifted me into the air. I coughed when the coils started to tighten. I had an arm free, but I couldn't do anything with it.

"Cah! AH!" Leone roared in fear when it saw the pain I was in. "It's alright bud. Don't worry about m-e!" My ribs ached as the tail tightened even more, squeezing the breath out of me.

"Are you going to protect your precious Blader? Or are you going to stand there and watch as he squirms in pain?" Majesty moved its head behind me, watching me squirm. "You better hurry, he's turning a bit blue." Leone roared again, frozen in fear as it watched me struggle.

"I'll be, gah, okay Leone!"

"Will you?"

_'I can't breathe!'_ The very end of the tail, covered with flame like feathers, wrapped around my neck, completely cutting off my air.

"ACK-!" I tried to pull it off, but it was too strong.

"You better do something." Majesty mused. Leone ducked its head, probably not wanting to see me in pain. I thought I saw its mane wave a bit, although my vision was getting blurry. Leone threw its head back and roared, purple fire exploding outwards and a fireball formed in its maw. It shot a stream of fire at the dragon, who fluidly moved out of the way. Leone charged the dragon and leaped at me, landing on the tail and tearing into it. "Your attacks do nothing!" Majesty grabbed Leone and tossed it away. Leone landed in a heap, but got up and roared in defiance. It charged again and leaped back onto the tail, this time going for the part around my neck. I was able to breathe a little once that came loose. I put my hand around my neck to try and keep it safe.

"You're doing great Leone! Keep it up!" My voice was hoarse from being choked. Leone let out a stream of fire and I flinched, expecting to feel the heat. Instead I felt the palm of my hand itch, and looked down to see the symbol Leone had given me. "Leone..."

"Your attacks are worthless!" Majesty threw Leone away again and tightened the coils around me, my vision started to fail and I was seeing spots. Leone shakily got to its feet, its head hanging low. In my mind's eye (weird, I'm dreaming) I thought I saw its Bey, spinning in slow motion. The Spin Track flipped over, the spikes now facing forwards. Leone let out a massive roar that shook the landscape. A massive stream of fire headed right towards us, Majesty barely dodging it. "That fire...it changed!" Leone charged again, leaping and landing on the tail. It let out a huge blast of fire and Majesty roared in pain.

"It's working!" I shouted

"Get off!" Majesty squirmed as Leone used its jaws and two front legs to tear into the dragon. With a flick of its tail, we were both sent rolling onto the ground. We landed in a heap, myself laying on top of Leone. I gulped down as much air as my aching lungs let me, then slid off Leone and checked it for injuries. It seemed fine for the most part. "What was that?!" I spun and glared at the dragon, who already had her own glare on me.

"That, was a very, very angry lion." I stood up. "You've proven your point. It's time for you to leave." It stared at me with squinted eyes. "Leave!"

"I'm not leaving until I'm through with you!" I felt something surge inside of me.

"I. Said. LEAVE!" Something shoved the dragon back and it stared at me in shock.

"How did you do that?!" I looked at myself, then scowled.

"My dream. My rules." It glared at me and let out a stream of fire. I held my hand up and the symbol on it glowed. The stream of fire went over and around us harmlessly.

"What?!"

"I said leave! This is your last chance!"

"NO ONE GIVES ME ORDERS!" It rushed forward, but another invisible force shoved it back.

"Then you leave me with no choice!" I raised my hand and threw it downwards. A large half-circle of metal fell from the black clouds, landing on the dragon's back and shoving it to the ground. The metal locked into the ground and Majesty writhed, trying to escape.

"LET ME GO!" Two more bands fell, one catching the tail, and the other right behind the head. "AHH! I WILL END YOU!" I slowly walked forwards, holding my hand up anytime Majesty threw fire at me. I stopped right in front of its nose, glaring at it. Its maw opened wide in a loud roar and belched out a massive flame. My hand was up, making the fire split down the middle. The flames soon stopped and I lowered my hand.

"You done?" I asked with a lowered brow.

"I'll be done when you are fried!" If a thousand suns were sitting in the space between us, they would have still paled in comparison to the heat of our glares.

"I'm not going to let you hurt Leone anymore." My eyes flashed. "I'm done." The dragon realized I had complete control over the situation, but it was still furious. "Leone has been through too much already. So until it wants to, there will _be_ no battles. No one will _force it_ to battle. So until I know you won't attack us, you are staying right. There." In the back of my mind, there was a tiny (big) part of me freaking out about the fact that I was staring down a literal dragon, but I squashed that before I got distracted. I felt something bump into my hand, and looked down to see Leone standing there. It looked like it was in pain, and had a paw in the air. But there was a light in its eyes I hadn't seen yet. I rubbed its ear gently, hearing a soft rumble. The dragon watched us closely.

"You...have a connection. You are already so bonded, but, you've only known each other for a short time." Majesty seemed to calm down more. "I see now..."

"Do you?" I raised an eyebrow, folding my arms.

"I do. You may release me now. I am done trying to attack you." I hesitated, but Leone bumped my side. The metal holding the dragon vanished, and it rose into the air, twisting and coiling around itself. It floated there, watching us for a moment. "I do apologize for losing control. That is not like me."

_'Yeah, sure Princess.'_

"Just, don't do it again." I retorted. Leone bumped into me, letting out a small roar. Majesty started floating upwards, appearing to leave. Something clicked and I called after it. "Wait!" It stopped and floated back down.

"Yes?"

"You said your name was Majesty, right?"

"Correct."

"Do you inhabit a Beyblade?"

"I do."

"What's the Beyblade's name?"

"Hmm...Are you sure you wish to know?" It blinked calmly.

"Wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

"Well, if you are sure." It left a pregnant pause and I tapped my foot.

"Well, what's the name?"

"L-drago Destructor."


	18. Chapter 18

**A couple of intense battles are coming your way! Heads up Bladers!**

««{{Last Time}}»»

"Wait!" It stopped and floated back down.

"Yes?"

"You said your name was Majesty, right?"

"Correct."

"Do you inhabit a Beyblade?"

"I do."

"What's the Beyblade's name?"

"Hmm...Are you sure you wish to know?" It blinked calmly.

"Wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

"Well, if you are sure." It left a pregnant pause and I tapped my foot.

"Well, what's the name?"

"L-drago Destructor."

««{{Present Time}}»»

I snapped into a sitting position, thinking about what just happened. My eyes snapped over to Burn Leone, which was sitting on my night table next to my glasses. I saw a small glint off of the Fusion Wheel.

"I have to tell Gingka...!"

««{{¤}}»»

***DING D-***

"Madoka!"

"James? What's going on? Why are you out of breath? Did you run here?"

"Where's Gingka?! I need to talk to him!"

««{{¤}}»»

"Hi James, Madoka said you needed to talk to-woah!" I grabbed Gingka and pulled him towards the stairs.

"Away from prying ears. Not talking about you Madoka!" I called over my shoulder when she started to protest. We moved down to the couch and sat down. I took a breath.

"What's going on? Why are you so stressed out?"

"I...***sigh* **Did I ever tell you that Burn Leone would interact with me...in my dreams?"

"Uh...Oh yeah! I remember that!"

"Well...Leone hasn't been the only one..."

"Wait, another Bey has been in your dreams?"

"Yeah..."

"Is it Wolf?" I internally cringed, realizing that only Madoka knew at this point.

"...No. I haven't had anything like that from Wolf."

"Then which one is it?"

"It's uh..." I wasn't sure how Gingka would take the answer. "Does the name Majesty ring any bells?" He titled his head, scratching his cheek in thought.

"Uh, no, why?"

"Okay..."

"Come on, you act like it's a big deal."

"That's because you told me about this Bey."

"Told you? What do y-..." His eyes went to a planetary scale. "Wait... You don't mean..."

"L-Drago? Yeah." He was frozen for a minute, his eyes had a faraway look in them. He snapped out of it and looked at me. The look on his face was no longer happy-go-lucky, he was serious.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

"How do you know?"

"Because it said so."

"James...that's..."

"Hard to believe? Impossible? Completely untrue?" He put his hands up.

"No, not at all. I just, I'm not sure what to even say. I'm not saying I don't believe you, but...how?" I snorted.

"That's what I'd like to know." I relayed my dream to him, trying to keep the details straight. "And then it just flew off. That's when I snapped awake and ran here." I held Leone in my hand. "Poor thing went through a lot last night. It had to fight L-drago because I was in danger."

"That just shows that it trusts you." I looked over to Gingka.

"You think?" He nodded with a smile.

"I know. Pegasus and I have been through a lot. We would do anything for each other. Maybe Leone feels that way because you took the risk to rescue it." He held a fist up. "In fact, I'm sure that's how it feels." I looked down at my Bey.

"Leone..." I felt a warmth in me that I had only felt once before. "Are you sure?" I nodded after a pause. "Alright."

"What's up?" I turned to Gingka.

"Leone wants to battle." The pure happiness on his face was contagious, and I felt myself smile.

"Leone wants to battle even after what you both just went through?" My head snapped around to see Madoka standing on the stairwell.

_'Nuts, how long has she been there?!'_

"Madoka? I mean, yeah, if Leone thinks it's ready, why hold it back?"

"Well, alright. But no Special Moves!" Gingka deflated.

"But why not?!"

"Because James doesn't even have one, so it would be completely one sided! That's why!" Gingka scratched his cheek again.

"Oh, I uh, didn't think about that..." I rolled my eyes.

"Madoka, this won't be a fair battle anyways. Special Move or not, Gingka completely outclasses me in every way." Gingka shook his head.

"Well, that's not true. I can see the care you have for Leone. You have a really strong bond already." I looked at Leone again, seeing it glimmer a bit in the low light.

"Hmm..."

««{{¤}}»»

"Alright, you two ready?" Madoka was standing on the right side of a stadium, with Gingka across from me.

"Ready!"

"Let's do this Leone." I felt a small spark touch my Bladers Spirit as I leveled my launcher.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let It Rip!" Leone and Pegasus began circling the stadium.

"Leone, take the center!"

"Oh no you don't! Pegasus!" The blue Bey dashed forward, dust flying behind it.

"Gah! Leone, dodge it!" Pegasus barreled toward Leone, who pulled back in time for Pegasus to miss. "Phew, that would've been bad."

"You're not getting away! Go!" Pegasus circled around and Leone took the center. Pegasus dashed at it, slamming into it with a shower of sparks. It knocked Leone away and chased after it.

"Leone, dodge left!" Leone ducked down closer to the center, and Pegasus zoomed past it. "I hardly have any time to react." I scratched my head, thinking. "Huh...Looks like I'll have to play a waiting game. Leone, take center." Leone spun down to the center of the stadium and waited for orders.

"Go Pegasus!" It took off, hurtling towards Leone.

"Wait…Now, roundabout!"

"Huh?" Leone leaned around Pegasus and smacked into it from behind, sending it skidding.

"Alright! It worked just like I thought!"

"I haven't seen a counter attack that quick before! Nice job James!" I scratched the back of my head.

"I got the idea from when I had Wolf."

"Had Wolf? What do you mean?" I shrugged a shoulder.

"I gave Wolf to a Blader who would appreciate it more than me. With Leone, I couldn't help Wolf get stronger."

"Oh...Do you trust that Blader?"

"I trust her. Besides, if I ever find out she is mistreating Wolf, I'll just take it back and find someone else who will take care of it." I looked down at Leone. "Now my whole focus can be on helping Leone. Power up!" Leone's energy picked up a little, a small breeze spinning around it. "Come on Leone, you've got more than that, you are stronger than you realize!" Leone seemed to hesitate before its Face Bolt flashed, and a larger gust of wind picked up. "That's it buddy! You've got this!"

"Pegasus!" Pegasus dashed right at Leone, knocking it away with ease.

"Darn. Try again Leone!" Leone kicked up another gust of wind, just as strong. "Alright! Hold it until I say."

"What are you planning... Doesn't matter! Pegasus, go!" Pegasus once again dashed after Leone.

"Ready Leone?! ...Now! Release it!" A tight blast of wind spread outwards from Leone, knocking Pegasus off course and off balance.

"What?! How did you do that?!" I grinned.

"I studied up on Leone's combination over the past few days. Leone's Energy Ring is good for building up a lot of wind. Its Fusion Wheel has a flat wall on the inside, allowing it to hold back the wind, almost like a dam. Leone can use that to build up a high pressure blast, sending it flying out in all directions. An impressive defense if I do say so myself."

"I agree! I didn't see that coming at all. We'll just have to find a way to break that defense then. Pegasus!" It dashed at Leone, ready to get a solid hit in.

"Leone, wings at the ready!" Leone tilted away from Pegasus, its Spin Track exposed.

"Huh?!" Pegasus slammed into Leone, but instead of hitting it with shower of sparks, it got smacked away. "What was that?!" Madoka had her computer out, scanning the Beys.

"That was Leone's SW145." I nodded.

"In Defense mode, the three wings act like a backhand, allowing the Bey to smack any opponent away, canceling their attacks."

"Wow, you sure know a lot about Leone. Are you sure you didn't have it before?" Gingka teased, eyes squinted in a smile. I rubbed the back of my head.

"Let's just say 1 o'clock in the morning is a very productive time to read," I paused, "A lot." Madoka chipped in.

"You were up at 1 in the morning?!"

"I wasn't tired."

"That's not healthy!"

"So-rry mom!"

"I'm not your mother!"

"My point exactly, now please let me focus!"

"Pegasus!"

_"Aw_ great!" I turned back to the battle, only to see Leone get hit. "Leone, get out of there!"

"Too late!" Pegasus let out a barrage of attacks, knocking Leone off balance.

"Leone! No!"

"Sorry James, you lose this one!" Pegasus wound up a shot and slammed into Leone, pushing it up to the edge of the stadium. Leone was barely able to stop its momentum, clinging to the edge with all it had.

"Leone! Come on, fight back! You've got this!" Leone was actually able to slow down its forced movement around the stadium. Both Beys were at a standstill. "Fight it Leone! You are stronger than this! I saw you fighting Majesty last night! If you can take it on then you can do this!" A whip of wind charged up and lashed out like a paw, smacking into Pegasus and knocking off balance enough for Leone to push it away. Leone spun down to the center of the stadium, wobbling from the expended energy.

"How did you do that?!" I stared at Leone in shock.

"To be honest, I'm not sure."

"Well, Leone is too weak to do it again, I'll finish this with one shot! Pegas-!" Gingka and I both covered our faces as a huge plume of fire fell from the sky, slamming into the stadium with a large explosion. "WAAAH! PEGASUS!"

"LEONE NO!" I was shoved back from the force of the blast and fell off the edge of the stadium. I landed hard but got up quickly with Madoka's help. I charged back up the stairs and saw the fire dying down. "Leone! Where are you?!" I heard something metal land near my feet and looked down to see it lying there, lightly covered in ash from the flames. I bent down to pick it up, only to flinch at the slightly hot metal. I looked it over.

"Pegasus!" I saw Gingka holding Pegasus as well, checking it for damage.

"SO! This is your new playmate, huh Gingka?!" I was looking around as a harsh voice was talking. "Up here kids!" My head snapped upwards and I saw a young man standing on the edge of the three story building next to us. Spiked up white hair with a red patch in it; fierce, golden eyes; a white coat hanging over a black outfit with black combat boots. The guy had a heavy looking gold thing on his left arm.

"Ryuga?! What are you doing here?!"

"I came to check out your new play mate Gingka. I had an interesting dream last night." My eyes widened and I took a step back.

"No..." Images from my own dream last night flashed through my mind. I heard something in the stadium next to me and looked down to see a Bey spinning in the center. Its Face Bolt flashed and I flinched. "No..."

"What's the matter kid? You look scared." The new Blader leaped from the building and landed on the side of the stadium on a knee and hand. He stood up and glared at me. "It's good to have a healthy amount of fear kid. Especially when the Dragon Emperor is standing right in front of you." I took another step back, fear beginning to overwhelm me. I could feel a massive presence and it was far stronger than I was.

"Stop it Ryuga!" He looked over at Gingka, who didn't look pleased. The presence seemed to shrink back. "Leave James alone! What has he done to you?" Ryuga glanced at Gingka again, only to look right back at me.

"James huh? I was hoping for more than a wimp like this. Hm! I guess I let myself down." He held his hand up, catching L-drago. "Guess I'll leave you two to play then." He started to turn, but looked at me one more time. Fear turned to anger, which sadly makes me even more sarcastic than I normally am. Plus I was sick of him staring at me.

"What? You like what you see?" Ryuga's eyes went wide.

"What did you say?!"

"Eyes to yourself. I don't swing that way." I stormed off, fed up with him and not wanting to deal with him or L-drago.

"You rat! I'll crush you!"

"Ryuga stop!" I heard Gingka run around and saw him hold his arms up. "Stop it now!"

"Don't order me around! Rah!" Ryuga let L-drago fly, Gingka doing the same with Pegasus. "Out of my way! This punk needs to learn his place!" L-drago slammed into Pegasus, knocking it away. L-drago rushed around Gingka towards me. I could hear it getting closer, and grunted.

_'Fine. If he wants to dance, I'll dance.'_ I heard L-drago leap and I hit the deck, seeing it fly over my head. I got up and glared at it. I switched Leone's Spin Track to attack mode before grabbing my launcher.

"So, we meet in the waking world. You know Majesty, I think my ribs are still kind of sore from last night. How about I return the favor!" I sent Leone flying at L-drago, who matched the attack with an explosion. Leone landed at my feet and I threw my arm out. "Go Leone!" Leone dashed at L-drago, only to be cut off by Pegasus screaming past it.

"Go Pegasus!" Gingka stood next to me as Ryuga moved over to stand opposite of us.

"I'm not going to tolerate this! L-drago!" Fire leaped upwards, spiraling up and bursting out, leaving behind the dragon I saw last night. I found it hard to breathe staring at the monster.

_'I can't fight this! I was in a dream last night, and those few attacks from L-drago wiped Leone out!'_

"Pegasus!" It flashed and a bright blue winged horse was standing in front of Gingka. The two beasts leapt at each other and started clashing, L-drago knocking Pegasus away with a flick of its head. Leone moved to spin calmly in front of my feet.

"Alright Leone, we can't take Majesty on alone, let's at least help out Gingka! Go!"

"James, be careful please!" I nodded at Madoka. Leone dashed into the fray, leaping high to smack L-drago in the face before it or Ryuga could react.

"What?! You punk!" L-drago redirected its attention at us and roared, the fearsome sound shaking the ground. It spat a fireball at Leone, only to miss when it dashed out of the way.

"That's it Leone! Fight it our way! Go!"

"You got this James! Pegasus, let's help them out!"

"I won't allow it!" A fireball slammed into Pegasus, knocking it to the ground with an explosion following suit.

"Pegasus!"

"Leone! This is our chance! Give it everything you've got! You're stronger than either of us know! Aaaahh!" I felt something well up inside of me, only to burst out in an explosion of fire. Leone burst into purple flames and a familiar green lion jumped out of the Face Bolt. Leone roared and more flames gathered in towards it. It shot upwards, roaring up in a straight beam following high into the sky. It disappeared above the clouds, only for a gleam to signal its return, rocketing to the ground at high speeds. "Special Move: Plasma Dive!"

"WHAT?!" Gingka and Madoka flipped out and Ryuga got angry.

"Don't think that will do anything! Dragon Emperor Supreme FLIIIGHT!" L-drago was covered in a tornado of hot fire, shooting upwards to meet Leone. They clashed and struggled, neither of them giving an inch.

"Gingka help him!" Madoka cried.

"Not even Pegasus can get up there fast enough! James is on his own!"

"Leone! Fight it, give it everything you have!" I called out at the top of my lungs, somehow feeling the strain of the fight in the sky.

"James!" I turned and saw Ryan running up, only for him to freeze when he saw the two Beys going at it. I threw my hand out.

"Stay back!" Ryuga threw his arms out, his rage evident.

_"Stop mocking me!"_ A massive explosion shook the sky, a shockwave knocking me off my feet as a cloud of smoke poured down on us.

**James might be in trouble. Ryuga was already stronger than Gingka and Kyoya, and James doesn't even have a Star Fragment. How are things going to turn out?**

**~Silverleone**


	19. Chapter 19

I felt exhaustion wash over me, and I struggled to push myself onto my elbows. I heard something land on my right, and I looked over to see Leone. My eyes widened and I gasped in shock. It was still spinning!

"...Leone?!"

"WHAT?! How are you still up?!" I weakly smirked at the look on Ryuga's face.

"Never had someone survive that one?" I sat up, pulling myself to my feet. "Eh-heh. First time for everything...isn't there?" Leone moved in front of me, wobbling. I saw L-drago spinning in front of Ryuga, wobbling slightly from the expended energy itself.

"Don't get cocky! L-drago!" It switched modes, red lightning gathering around it as it dashed forward, and I prepared to be wiped out.

"Pegasus!" L-drago was knocked back.

"For the last time! Out of my way!" Pegasus was pushed back by L-drago, and I noticed its power dropping at a rapid pace.

"Gingka, it's stealing your energy!" I called out.

"Gah! Pegasus!" Pegasus pulled away, only for L-drago to power up and smash into it, sending it flying. It bounced off its Fusion Wheel and flipped over, landing on its Performance Tip again.

"Stay out of my way. L-drago!" Its power grew, wind whirling around it. It tore across the ground between us, dust flying behind it.

"Leave 'em alone!" I heard a launcher go off and an explosion followed. I saw L-drago bounce once before landing. Ryuga looked on in shock.

"WHAT?!" Ryan stood next to me. Ryuga and Ryan glared at each other. "You think you can just barge in here?! You have no respect as a Blader, L-drago!"

"No respect, look in the mirror! Bull, go!" Fury Bull leaped forwards.

"You can't match L-drago! It is useless!"

"Not as useless when we work together! Leone!" I had been encouraging Leone to power up for one last hit. Soon, while it wasn't even close to full power, it had built up a lot of wind. It dashed forward alongside Bull. I tilted my head slightly towards my brother. "Ryan, when I say, have Bull get in front of Leone."

"Okay, why?"

"Imma give you a boost." His eyes lit up, and he got excited.

"Gotcha. Let's take this guy. Whoever he is." Bull and Leone ran right alongside each other, gaining speed and power.

"I will end all of you! L-drago, wipe them off the face of the earth!" L-drago's beast appeared, letting out a loud roar and rushing forward.

"Now Ryan!"

"Fury Bull! Full speed ahead!" Bull poured on the speed as I threw my arm out.

"Burn Leone! Release it, let it all out! Now!" The blast of wind that shot forwards was so strong it stopped Leone in its tracks, the wind slamming into Bull and picking it up, carrying it even faster than its Semi Flat Performance Tip could. Both of us were shouting at the top of our lungs.

"GOOO!" The biggest explosion so far rocked the entire block. I heard/felt something zip past my head, and turned to see a huge crater in the wall behind us. A plume of smoke rose high into the air, spreading out and covering the sun. The smoke covered us all, making it hard to breathe.

"Ryan? Are you okay?!" I heard a cough and saw him on the ground, weakly getting to his feet. I helped him up and we dusted ourselves off.

"Yeah, I'm okay. What happened?"

"I have no idea. I don't know which Bey that is, but it put a giant crater in the wall." I quickly walked over to check. I stuttered when I saw Bull lodged in the concrete. "Ryan! It's Bull!"

"Bull!" He ran over and reached up to grab it, only to gasp when it dislodged and fell. He caught it and looked over it carefully. He stopped when he saw the Energy Ring was cracked on one side. "Oh no, Bull!" I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright, Bull will be fine. Madoka can fix it." He sighed.

"You're right." He looked up at me. "Where's Leone?" I turned back to the battle field, my eyes scanning the ground. I saw Ryuga catch a still spinning L-drago, and my eyes landed on a spot near him.

"Leone!" I ran over and picked it up, seeing it was slightly damaged as well. "I'm glad you're okay Leone. You did an amazing job, I'm so proud of you."

"Hn! Proud? You lost you idiot!" My head snapped over to glare at Ryuga.

"I may have lost, but Leone just took on its greatest fear. And with a lot of effort too."

"Greatest fear? What are you babbling about?"

"Leone was abused by its last owner, and it was afraid to battle." I placed my fist on my hip. "Not only did Leone just battle, it took on you." Ryuga stared at me with a stone cold look.

"...Congratulations. You want a trophy?"

"I'll stick with the satisfaction of battling the Dragon Emperor. Even weakening you a bit." He started to snap at me.

"If you think for one second you're as str-!"

"Ah-ah-ah, I said I weakened you. I didn't match you in power. That is impossible at my level. But I must warn you Ryuga. That gap won't be there for long. So I'd keep working if I were you. I'm not going to forget what Majesty did." His eyes went to the size of dinner plates and he gasped.

"How do you know that name?!" My eyes widened at the mistake and I took a step back. He was even more enraged than before and a hot orange fire glowed around him. "Tell me how you know that name, now!" I stuttered, trying to come up with a good answer, when I felt Leone warm up in my hand. I looked down to see a purple fire coming from it that it calmed me down. I looked up at Ryuga, and he was slightly surprised at the look on my face.

"Maybe you should ask your Bey." I turned and walked over to Ryan, throwing my voice over my shoulder. "After all. It is the reason you are here." I placed my hand on Ryan's shoulder, walking back towards the B-pit.

««{{¤}}»»

I sat Ryan down and caught him up on everything. My dream with Majesty, the fact that Leone was no longer scared to battle, Gingka and I starting a battle with Ryuga interrupting. All the while Madoka was fretting over the damage done in the battle, muttering about reckless Bladers.

"...And that's about when you showed up. Nice job, by the way."

"Thanks. James, that's, kind of crazy. Leone sounds like a really powerful Bey." I held Leone in my hand.

"I think there's more to this Bey than I first thought."

"Well, you aren't going to believe this, but...I have something to tell you." I raised an eyebrow as he rubbed his forearm.

««{{¤}}»»

"What?! What are you talking about?!"

"I'm sorry, I lost control of it!"

"You launched Bull in the apartment?! Are you insane?!"

"I thought I could control it! I never had any problems before!" I nearly bounced my head off the wall in frustration.

"You didn't break anything did you?"

"Only knocked out a desk leg, but I was able to fix it before mom or dad noticed."

"You are extremely lucky."

"I know."

"We could have lost our Beys Ryan."

"I know." I paused, then sighed, seeing he had beaten himself up enough already.

"Alright. Now, let's see if we can't find out why Bull went crazy like that." I turned to Madoka, who was sitting at her desk. "Madoka, I know you just started on Bull, but do you have any clue why it didn't listen to Ryan?" She turned around, pulling her goggles up on her head.

"Well, it doesn't have a whole lot of damage, besides the crack in it. There's no debris that would unbalance it. I'm not sure if there is anything wrong with the Bey itself. Maybe it has something to do with the Bey Spirit?" She turned back to her work. I looked at Ryan.

"I think we need someone with more knowledge on the subject."

"But who?"

"I think I know just the person you are looking for." Our eyes snapped up to the stairwell to see Gingka leaning over the railing.

"Hey Gingka, are you talking about yourself?" He shook his head.

"No. Even I don't know enough to explain Bull's behavior. But I know someone who might."


	20. Chapter 20

**No excuse! Life got crazy! I had finals for the semester!**

**Enjoy!**

"Gingka, how long is this ride?"

"Only about an hour longer. We're almost there."

"...That is not "almost there". Just so you know."

««{{¤}}»»

"Finally!" I stepped off the train and stretched my arms to the sky. "Aah! My back is killing me!"

"Quit your whining would ya?" Ryan stepped up next to me and I pretended to smack him upside the head. Gingka walked past us and turned around.

"We still have a ways to go guys. Saddle up." He started walking over to what looked like a stable.

"Saddle up?" I heard horses nickering and I straightened.

"Well come on guys! We don't have all day!" I jogged to catch up with him.

"Are we riding to this guy?"

"Yup! Come on!" We walked into the stable and I looked around. "Alright guys, pick out your horse and let's go!" I walked down the row of stables, looking at each horse as it poked its head out. I stopped when my eyes were drawn to a stable without a horse poking its head out. I walked over to it and looked inside. I almost gasped when I saw the most gorgeous horse. It was black, without any spots. Tufts of black hair covered its hooves, signifying a Clydesdale. It was standing near the back of the stall eating some hay, when it looked up at me. It seemed to study me for a moment before it stepped over toward the stall door. It had to be 17 or 18 hands high. Its back was taller than my head.

"Wow, you are massive."

"That is Freedom's Flight. Be careful with that one, he bites." I turned to see a young man walking up to me. "The name is Trevor, it's nice to meet you." I shook his hand when he held it out.

"James, nice to meet you as well." I turned back to Freedom's Flight, who was now poking his head through the door. I slowly raised my hand, making sure he could see it. He took slow breaths, getting my scent. He shook his head and nickered. I reached up and scratched his nose.

"Well, it appears that he likes you. You want to try him out?" I hesitated, and noticed the horse almost seemed to take that as a challenge, nudging me. I patted his neck. "Alright, I'll give him a try."

Soon we were all on our own horses. I was sitting on Freedom, high above everyone else. Gingka was riding a smaller white horse, who seemed just as energetic as its rider. Madoka was riding an even smaller brown horse, who seemed calm but cheerful. Ryan was riding a fast looking Chestnut. Gingka's horse reared up, neighing loudly.

"Alright! Let's go!" Gingka called as they took off up the trail, Madoka calling out for him to wait while Ryan flew past her, wanting to race the eager red head. I pulled Freedom up next to Madoka's horse and looked at her.

"Do you know where we are going?"

"Yeah. ***Huff*** Boys."

"Heeey..." She gave me a 'my point exactly' look and nudged her horse forward, going at a leisurely pace.

"So, are you nervous riding that big of a horse?"

"Not really. He's got a really smooth gate. I figured a guy his size would be a little rougher to ride." The horse pinned its ears back and looked at me. "I'msorrypleasedon'tbuckme!" Freedom snorted and focused back on the trail. I sighed, relaxing. I scratched his neck. "You know, you seem like a really smart horse." It turned its ears back. "You know where Gingka and Ryan went?" Freedom whinnied. I sat back into the saddle and hung the reins around the saddle horn. "Alright then, lead the way."

I held onto the saddle horn as we went over a small stream, the water not even touching Freedom's ankles. Soon we saw Gingka and Ryan collapsed on a flat rock, breathing heavily. Their horses lazily grazing in the open field. I led Freedom over to them and stopped him, hopping down from the saddle. I walked over to Gingka and Ryan, standing above them.

"You two having fun?" They opened their eyes.

"Yeah! Riding is a lot of fun!" Ryan sat up and wiped his brow, sweat dripping from it a little. Gingka sat up and laughed.

"Ryan almost fell off when we stopped! His horse has a lot of energy!" All three of our horses trotted over to us as the two boys stood up, dusting themselves off. I looked around at the scenery and jumped when Freedom dropped his head onto my shoulder.

"Hey bud." I reached up and scratched his chin. He snorted and turned sideways, presenting his saddle. I thought he looked a little jumpy, his ears moving to pick up every sound. I nodded and looked at the others. "Alright, looks like our break is over. Let's go." I hoped they would notice that their horses were acting the same way.

"Alright, we have about another 15 minutes to ride." I hopped up, literally, to get my foot in the stirrup, then threw myself up onto the saddle, a little less than graceful looking. But before I even got settled Freedom set off.

"Woah! Hold on Freedom, I'm not ready yet!" He threw his head back and pushed me up onto the saddle with his nose, not missing a step. I slipped my other foot into the stirrup and sighed. "You sure are in a hurry...Freedom, what's wrong?" He kept picking up pace, neighing and grunted at the other horses. Gingka and Ryan passed me again, but this time it wasn't a full on sprint, just a faster canter. Madoka yelled when even her horse picked up the pace.

"Woah! What's going on girl?!" She passed me at a canter and Freedom picked up the pace, keeping behind her.

"Madoka, do you know what's going on?"

"I have no idea!" I thought I heard something behind us and looked over my shoulder to see a clear path.

"Hmm..."

««{{¤}}»»

"Alright Freedom, you need to slow down. You're going to run her ragged." Freedom had been staying on Madoka's horse's tail, keeping her at pace. I pulled on the reigns lightly and he backed off, allowing her to slow down. I pulled him around to walk beside her and looked at Madoka. She had a white knuckle grip on the reins. "Madoka, you can release the death grip now." She relaxed and sighed.

"I wasn't ready for that..."

"Me neither. You want a break?"

"I think I'm good..." I raised an eyebrow and pulled Freedom to a stop. Madoka's horse stopped beside us, grateful for the short break. I nudged Freedom closer to her and held my hand out.

"Gimme the reins."

"What? Why?"

"You were so stressed that whole time, and that's something that a horse can pick up on. You both need a break." I emphasized my hand. She sighed and handed me the reins to her horse, which I draped over my saddle horn. I held out my hand again. "Grab on."

"Huh?" She grabbed my hand, which I then proceeded to grasp her wrist, pull her off her saddle and onto Freedom's back. "Woah!" She wrapped her arms around my waste so she didn't fall off. **(A/N:Okay, quick note, in the anime, she's like, 10 or 11...at most. In this story, James is 19. So no, no romantics here, that's gross in James' case. You want that, you probably have to find a different author, just being honest.)** "James what's the big idea?!" I nudged Freedom and he started walking again, going at a gentle pace, Madoka's horse following.

"You were tired and stressing your horse out. You both need to relax." I settled back into the saddle, and I could feel her loosen her grip eventually.

"Thanks, I needed that."

"What are friends for?"

««{{¤}}»»

Once again we found Gingka and Ryan resting, their horses tied to a tree.

"Took you guys long enough!" Ryan stood up, stretching his arms.

"Sorry I didn't want to leave Madoka behind. Besides, I think there was something back there."

"What do you mean?"

"Did you not notice the way the horses were acting?" They both shook their heads. "They were nervous. Something made them skittish back there." Gingka looked at his horse, who lifted its head to return the gaze. It dropped its head back down and kept grazing.

"Huh, I had no idea."

_'Ob-vi-ous-ly.'_ I thought, rolling my eyes.

"Well, have you ran your horses into the ground yet? Or can they still keep going?"

"I think they're okay. We'll just take it slower from now on."

"Good idea Gingka, those horses are going to be dead tired after you guys are done with them."

««{{¤}}»»

"Guys, welcome to my home!"

"Wow, you live all the way out here?! That's awesome!" We were standing at the top of a bluff, a cool breeze blowing around us. Below us, hidden in a valley, was a small village.

"Come on guys! I've got someone I want you to meet!" He started off, only to stop as dirt and rock exploded about 20 feet in front of us. Gingka's and Madoka's horses reared back, while Ryan's horse and Freedom backed up, snorting and grunting. I reigned in Freedom before Madoka could fall off, then reached over and calmed down her horse.

"Stop right there!" A couple of men were running up the hill, Bey Launchers at the ready.

"Woah, guys, hold on it's me!" The men stopped when they saw Gingka on top of his horse. He dismounted and walked over. "Sorry to drop in like this. Is Hokaru around? We need to talk to him."

««{{¤}}»»

We entered a small hut near the outskirts of the village. Looking around inside, it was mostly empty, except a table and some chairs, along with a couch in the corner.

"Hyoma? Hello!"

"Hyoma? I thought he said Hokaru eh was looking for Hokaru?" I glanced at Ryan.

"He did." Soon a tall young man stepped into the room, a look of shock on his face.

"Gingka?! What are you doing here?" They shared a quick hug.

"I've come to introduce some of my new friends to you and Hokaru. This is Ryan and James, they recently found out about Beyblade and have a few questions I can't answer. Is Hokaru around?"

"I'm right here." I turned to the door, only to see it empty. "Down here boy." I looked down to see a small white dog with a bandana sitting there. I blinked owlishly for a second, when the most shocking thing happened. "It's not right to stare at someone you know!"

"Gah!" I nearly fell backwards. "You, you talk?!"

"Why is this such a surprise to everyone...?" The dog shook its head and stepped forward. "Madoka, Gingka, good to see you again."

"Hokaru! How have you been?"

"Good. Now, what can I do for you? And who might these two be?" The dog hopped up onto the table and sat down.

"This is James and Ryan. They both discovered Beyblade a little while ago, and they have some questions that I can't even answer." The dog turned to us and gave both of us a once over.

"What is your question?" Ryan stepped up, and while he was just as weirded out as I was, he was more concerned about his Bey.

"My Beyblade, Fury Bull, doesn't seem to want to listen to me. It will just go wild." He held up Bull so Hokaru could see. Luckily, Madoka had some of her gear on her, and had repaired it on the train.

"Hmm...Well, with a name like Fury Bull, it makes sense. You might just have a Bey that could be extremely hard to work with. Come with me." He hopped down from the table and went out the back. We all followed him to an open field. He stopped and turned to us. "Launch your Bey."

"Oh, okay." Ryan loaded up. "Let It Rip!" Bull landed about ten feet in front of us and dashed around rapidly. "Bull! Would you calm down!"

"Now Gingka, launch Pegasus."

"Oh um, okay. Let It Rip!" Pegasus landed and before any of us could blink, Bull was charging it.

"Hey! Bull, I did not say you could attack!" I noticed the Bey seemed to hesitate before slowing to a stop. Hokaru grunted.

"Interesting. It appears your Bey's eagerness to battle can over power its connection with you in the moment. Gingka, that's enough." Pegasus jumped into the Blader's hand. "It appears that you need to bond with your Bey more Ryan. Remember, with your Bey being Fury Bull, it might take some work."

"Could it have something to do with its Bey Spirit?" Ryan asked.

"Hmm...It might. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I've heard something that sounds like a bull roaring while I'm awake or asleep."

"Hmm...That is interesting. Come with me." He headed away from the village and we followed.

"Where are we going Gingka?" I whispered.

"I don't know, but this could get interesting."

"Oh joy."

««{{¤}}»»

We had been trekking farther and farther into the hills, crossing creeks and jumping small canyons. Hokaru walked around a bend and finally stopped at a small cave. He turned to us.

"This is a special place that only a few know about." Ryan spoke up.

"What is it?"

"Come and see." He started to walk in and I pulled out a flashlight. He turned around when he saw the beam of light. "You won't need that, just hold out your Beys." He turned and continued walking. We all pulled out our Beys and looked at them, not sure what he meant. Gingka pressed through the crowd, calling after Hokaru. He got a few steps in when he stopped, looking down at his hand as a small but intense light emitted from it.

"Pegasus?" He looked at it for a second before continuing on. As we stepped into the cave, different colored lights emitted from the rest of the Beys. The light was bright enough to illuminate the small tunnel. We kept following Hokaru for a few minutes, when he stepped into a larger cavern. We all entered and looked around.

"Wow. This is huge!" Ryan's voice echoed through the cavern, which extended beyond the light of the Beys. I walked up to the wall of the cave and held up Leone. The purple light illuminated the wall, casting shadows on some gigantic crystals. They were longer than my arm, and thicker than my waist.

"Hokaru, what is this place?"

"This is where we can personally help Fury Bull."

"Uh, what?"

"Follow me and stay close." He walked down a path, Gingka right behind him to light the way. More giant crystals littered the area as we stepped up to a dip in the ground.

"Is this a stadium?!" Gingka asked.

"It is. Ryan, please launch Bull."

"Okay." Ryan stepped up to the stadium edge and loaded up. He paused for half a second to steady his grip. "Let It Rip!" Bull landed in the stadium and ran around, the light still emitting from it. Smaller crystals had grown from the floor, creating obstacles that Bull had to maneuver around. It moved down to the center and slowly circled. "Now what?"

"Call to it with your Blader's Spirit."

"How do I do that?"

"Have you felt a burning passion when battling?"

"...I think so."

"Focus on that."

"O, kay." He shut his eyes and tried, his hands clenching.

"Loosen up, you can't sense anything if you are too tense." Ryan's arms relaxed and rested at his side. It took a minute, but I noticed Bull started glowing. A darker red color sparked from its Performance Tip and covered the whole Bey. "You have it, just a little more..." The Bey flashed and its energy spiked, reaching into the air. It shattered and a dark red bull was standing there, about fifteen feet tall. It threw its head back and bellowed, making everyone cover their ears as it echoed through the cave. It lowered its head and snorted, glaring at us. Ryan took a step back, both in fear and in awe.

"It's so big!"

"Yes that is quite large." Hokaru noted, "Now, go and greet it."

"How do you know it won't stomp me into the dirt?"

"Because you are its Blader. It will recognize you as such." Ryan hesitated, but stepped forward slowly. Bull stood there, glaring at him. He got about five feet from it and stopped.

"So...You're Fury Bull, is that right?" It snorted and stomped its hoof. It took a step forward and Ryan took a step back.

"Don't back down! It is testing you!" Ryan swallowed hard and straightened his spine. Bull hunched down and bellowed in his face. He flinched a little but didn't move. Bull snorted again as he lowered his arms.

"...That the best you got?" Bull's eyes widened as Ryan stood tall. "That the best you got?! Listen here Bull! I'm not going to take any of your attitude, do you hear me?!" Bull seemed to get really angry from that comment, and reared onto its hind legs, letting out another bellow as it came crashing down. I started to run forward, but Hyoma grabbed my coat.

"RYAN!"

***Boom*** Dust filled the room as the two hooves smashed into the ground. We all covered our faces as the cloud hit us. I tore myself from Hyoma's grip and fought my way through the dust.

"Ryan! Ryan where are yo-!" Standing right in between two massive hooves was Ryan. He was untouched, albeit his head was hanging down. Bull was glaring at him from above. I ran over to check on him. "Ryan! Please tell me you're okay!" I stopped when he spoke up.

"...That the best you got...?" He started shaking as his fists tightened. Bull and I both took a step back as he lifted his head to the ceiling, his eyes cry in a shout. "IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE?!" His eyes opened to glare at the Bey Spirit, "Pathetic." Bull took another step back, eyes widened in shock. It didn't expect this tiny human to stand up to it, much less insult it. It wasn't sure what to do. "Now you listen here you overgrown beef patty, I told you I'm not going to take your attitude, and I meant it! We are Bey and Blader, we are going to work together, you hear me?!" Bull ducked its head, its whole body lowering a little. Ryan stepped up to its nose, and it shut its eyes. He gently placed a hand on it, now calm. "We are a team, which means both of us have to put in the work." Bull opened its eyes and they made eye contact. They stopped moving. I started to take a step, when Hokaru called my name.

"Don't, let them do this." I nodded and stepped back over to the group. Bey and Blader started glowing the dark red color. We all watched in awe as it slowly brightened, and then died down to nothing. Ryan sighed and smiled.

"I think we are going to make a great team Bull." Bull almost seems to smile before shoving its nose into Ryan's stomach, moaning gently. "Oof! Alright, I get it." The Bey Spirit shattered, leaving a glowing Bey. It made a small circle before leaping into Ryan's hand. He turned to us and smiled weakly. "Well. I'm going to take a nap now." After which he collapsed. I ran forward and dropped to a knee, checking him over. Hokaru trotted over.

"He'll be fine. Luckily we have enough daylight to let him rest. That took a lot out of him."

"I'm going to have nightmares for weeks. I thought Bull had killed him." I groaned.

"Well, luckily Beys have respect for their Bladers. Most of the time it just takes a little persuasion." Hyoma commented.

"Well, let's get him some fresh air." I had Gingka and Hyoma help me get Ryan on my back so his arms were hanging over my shoulders. Madoka held Bull and Leone and walked in front of us as we exited the cave. We stepped out to see the sky on the horizon was dark with black clouds. Hokaru stepped onto the trail.

"We will have to keep moving, unfortunately. This is not the place to be in a storm. Follow me."

**I know, I know, riding horses to Ginkga's town?! A crystal cave?! That's not canon! How dare you change the canon! Whatever, alright? I thought it would be fun additions! Besides, mah story, mah rules.**

**But what'd you think of Ryan finally meeting Bull? If you haven't noticed yet, I'm playing into the Bladers Spirit and the Bey Spirit gimmick more than the anime did, with the Bey Spirits being more involved more often outside of battle. Also more tangible. It's going to play an important role in multiple scenarios in the future(no pun intended).**

**~Silverleone**


	21. Chapter 21

"Oh my head...what 'appened?" Ryan sat up, holding his head. Our little gang looked over and I smiled.

"You mess with the Bull, you gets the horns." He tried to not laugh, but a small chuckle escaped when he retorted.

"Shut up."

"You passed out after bonding with Bull. I don't think you'll have any troubles now."

"So, what now?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Well, I guess we head back."

"Sounds good...but you might have to lead my horse, my body feels really tired."

"Heh heh, I think we can do that."

««{{¤}}»»

I jumped and stuck my leg in Freedom's Flight's stirrup, hauling myself up and into the saddle. I settled in and sighed, patting the large horse on the neck. He nickered and tossed his head.

"Glad to see you're ready. Everybody else ready to roll?" Everyone else nodded. Ryan handed me the reins to his horse.

"Now I am." I chuckled as I strapped it to my saddle horn. Gingka was shaking Hyoma's hand.

"It was great to see you guys again. I'll make sure to visit again soon!"

"Please do! We all miss you here."

"Will do. Hokaru, thank you for your help." Ryan jumped in.

"Yeah, thanks so much. I don't think Bull will go wild anymore."

"Of course. I'm always willing to help those in need."

"Alright! Let's go!" Gingka's horse reared back and took off running. Madoka took off after him, telling him to slow down for the rest of us. Ryan and I followed up with the rear, his horse, eager to run, but also knowing Ryan wasn't up to it, simply stayed next to Freedom at a calm walk. I settled back and watched as the sun began setting, probably another hour before it hit the horizon.

"Hey James?"

"Yeah?"

"What happens now?"

"...Well, that all depends on what you want to do."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you going to get stronger and work to the top like Gingka? Or are you going to do something else?"

"...I'll have to think about that..." I let him ponder the question for a moment before answering myself.

"I know exactly what I'm going to do."

"What's that?"

"Leone and I are going to fight every person in our way. Any time we fall, we're going to get back up and fight even harder. We won't stop until we surpass even Gingka himself."

"But Gingka is astronomically stronger than you! There's no way you can close that gap!"

"I'll find a way. There's something I have to tell you though."

"What's that?"

"Duck!" I whipped out my launcher and Bey, slapping them together and jerking the ripcord, twisting to throw Leone over Ryan's head as he ducked with a yelp. Leone crashed into the brush and a loud roar came from them. Something leaped from the brush and landed in between us and the other two. Leone dashed out of the brush and planted itself in between us and the figure. I pulled Freedom to a stop and stared as a mountain lion growled at us. "I knew the horses were nervous for a good reason!" Madoka and Gingka had turned at the roar, and Madoka nearly panicked.

"M-m-mountain lion!" Leone was moving back and forth, almost prowling. I glared at the lion.

"Get! Shoo!" I nudged Freedom and he stomped around a little, snorting. The cougar hissed in return, raising a paw. I nudged Freedom again and he reared up, kicking his front legs. The cougar hissed and backed up. "That's right! Go on! Get!" It hissed again and Freedom took a charging step. The cougar took off running when it saw the massive horse coming at it. "Yah! Get outta here!" I calmed down and patted Freedom on his neck. "Good boy Freedom." I checked the bush line but couldn't see anything. I held up my hand and Leone jumped into it. "Shall we continue?" Everyone agreed and we picked up our pace from a few minutes ago, wanting to leave that big cat behind.

««{{¤}}»»

"Whew, we're here!" I slowed Freedom to a slow walk. Marching him and Ryan's horse up to the stable, I swung my leg over the saddle and dropped down, bringing the reins over Freedom's head and tying them to a post. I patted Freedom on the neck. "You did a really good job back there Freedom."

"Well, he is one of the pack horses. Carrying you would be no problem." I turned to see Trevor walking over. "How was the ride?"

"Good. We ran into a cougar, but we were able to scare it off." His eyebrows raised up.

"No one was hurt, right?"

"We're good."

"Thank goodness." He pulled all of the horses into the barn. He dropped Freedom's reins who didn't move. I petted his neck as Trevor put up the other horses.

"Freedom was completely calm the entire time."

"Generally horses are jumpy and get scared easily when there is a predator around."

"Apparently he's got a spine of steel."

"That's good in those situations, sometimes not so much in others." Freedom nickered and looked like he was glaring at Trevor, who just laughed. "What's the matter? Don't like it when people call you out?" Freedom snorted and stomped a hoof. I chuckled and patted his shoulder.

"Well, we gotta go, it was good to meet you Trevor. Bye Freedom!" We all waved as we walked back to the train station.

««{{The Next Day}}»»

"Hey Ryan, you want to battle?"

"I don't know Gingka, I'm not anywhere close to your strength."

"It'll be fine, come on, I'm itching to battle someone!" I placed my hand on Ryan's shoulder.

"What do you say to a two on one? Ryan and I verses you?" Gingka looked like he was about to explode in happiness.

"YeeeeES! Let's go! I want to battle right now!" He ran out of Madoka's shop, Ryan and I jogging after him.

"He is getting really pumped. What's our strategy?"

"You have the attack power, so I'll keep Leone in Defense mode. I'll take the hits while you attack from behind."

"And what if he uses one of those Special Moves?"

"Hmm. Let's just hope he doesn't. I don't have a counter for that."

"Same." We soon jogged into the local Bey Park and saw Gingka standing on the far side of the stadium.

"Come on you two! Let's get this started!"

"Alright Gingka, calm down." Ryan and I loaded up, standing across from Gingka.

"Finally! 3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let It Rip!" The three Beys landed and circled around.

"Alright! Go Pegasus!" Cosmic Pegasus dashed around, pouring on the speed to chase Leone and Bull.

"Leone, down to center!"

"Bull, follow it!" Leone settled in the middle while Bull calmly circled around it.

"Get them Pegasus!" The Bey dashed after them, hurtling down the stadium slope.

"Bull dodge!" Bull tilted to the side as Pegasus zoomed past.

"Leone, defend!" Leone pushed forward, slamming into Pegasus.

"Bull, now!" Bull came around and slammed into Pegasus from the side, attacking it on two fronts. An explosion rang out as the energy grew to be too much. Pegasus landed on one side of the stadium while Leone and Bull landed opposite.

"Go Pegasus!" It dashed around. "Upper Mode!" I heard a click as it changed modes.

"Leone, move!" Leone dashed out of the way, but Pegasus went right past it, slamming into Bull and sending it flying.

"Bull!" It landed inside the stadium, but barely. "Go! Return fire!" Bull dashed around and smashed into Pegasus, releasing a barrage of attacks that knocked it off balance.

"Leone, now!" Leone dashed forward, matching Bull's attacks with a smash attack.

"Pegasus! Get out of there!" It knocked the two Beys back and dashed a small distance away, catching its balance. It dashed around the stadium, gaining speed. "Pegasus, Barrage Mode!" I heard a click and it sped up even more, slamming into Leone and releasing a load of tiny attacks.

"Gah! Leone! Defensive stance!" Leone leaned away from Pegasus, exposing its Spin Track. Pegasus was smacked away by the blades, sending it skidding right towards Bull.

"Gotcha now! Go!" Bull slammed into Pegasus, an explosion rocking the stadium. I took a step back.

"Geez, that was strong!"

"Yeah it was, go again!" Bull landed and dashed forward again.

"No way we'll lose to that! Go Pegasus!" Cosmic Pegasus dashed around the stadium, blue energy gathering around it. It circled again and again, each time going faster. Leone moved down to the center, calmly waiting for orders. "Come on Pegasus! Faster! You can go even faster!" Pegasus almost seemed to ignite the stadium, leaving a trail of flames.

"Leone, charge up!" Leone started to gather wind around it, only for it to get pulled away. "What?"

"Special Move! Pegasus, Storm Bringer!" Pegasus released a final burst of speed, the flames erupting towards the sky.

"Gah! Leone!"

"Bull no!" Pegasus shredded across the stadium, slamming into both Beys and taking them out without pause. I watched Leone fly sky-high and stepped back to catch it.

"Leone, I got you!" I caught it in my outstretched hand, checking it quickly for any damage. I sighed when it only had a small bit of dust on it and looked up to see Ryan and Gingka walking over. "Okay Gingka, what happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"Leone couldn't gather any wind when you were doing that."

"A vacuum." We turned and saw Madoka walking up, tapping on her computer.

"A vacuum? What do you mean?" She turned the screen to us, showing a reenactment of Pegasus' attack.

"Pegasus moved so quickly, it created a vacuum in the stadium. It sucked all of the air out, so Leone couldn't gather any."

"Wait, Pegasus was moving that fast?! How is that possible?"

"It's hard to explain-"

"Pegasus is the fastest Bey around, nobody matches its speed." Gingka waved a hand like it was nothing. I sighed, knowing I wasn't going to get an answer out of him.

"Okay, guess I'll take it."

"Hey Gingka, do you think Bull and I could do that?" Gingka shrugged.

"I donno. But the Storm Bringer is our Special Move. There was one Blader who tried to copy my Starblast Attack, but he couldn't do it. A Special Move is unique to the Bey and Blader."

"Huh. So Bull and I have to come up with our own?"

"Yup!"

"How do we do that?"

"Find a point when your spirits are connected, and go with your gut." He held up a fist enthusiastically. Ryan just tilted his head slightly.

"E'kay?" He walked over to the stadium and loaded Bull onto the launcher. He closed his eyes and took a slow breath. I walked over to the side of the stadium to watch. His brow furrowed a little, and he tensed up a little. Red energy appeared around him, giving him a haunting glow. His eyes opened. "Let It Rip!" Bull landed in the stadium and dashed around. "Come on Bull, we have to make our own Special Move!" Bull ran faster, glowing with a hot energy. "Come on, we have more!" His Blader's Spirit grew hotter for a minute, only for it to vaporize in an instant. He dropped to his knees and I hopped up, concerned.

"Ryan?" He looked up as I placed a hand on his shoulder. He was sweating slightly.

"Eh heh. Guess I'm not good enough for that right now..." I helped him to his feet.

"You also just battled Gingka, however short of a battle it was. We'll try tomorrow."

"Yeah. I just wonder what it'll be." We headed out to our apartment, wishing Gingka a good night. It had been a long few days, and I was ready for a long night of sleep.

««{{Dream}}»»

"Hey Leone." I scratched his ears as he pressed into my chest, purring. He took a few steps away, looking at me over his shoulder. "What's up bud?" He gestured with his head and I followed. I blinked when a shooting star passed over our heads, only for another to follow shortly. Three more shot passed, followed by dozens more. "What the!" My whole world was lit white as the shooting star filled my vision. I closed my eyes to block out some of the light, waiting for it to die down. Soon it did so, and when I opened my eyes, I gasped. I was no longer in a void, but in an open grassy plain. Leone walked up to me, pressing into my arm. I scratched his mane as I looked around, only to gasp when I saw we weren't alone. Strewn about the field were more glowing creatures of all shapes and sizes. There were a few centaurs of different colors, a couple of eagles flying high above us, and one or two other lions lazing about. Leone grumbled.

"Where are we bud? What is this place?" He turned and crouched, presenting his back to me. I hesitated, but swung my leg over, straddling his back. He started off at a gentle trot. I was looking around, admiring this place. Leone moved into the forest, easily maneuvering through the trees. I saw a few more creatures randomly moving through the forest, one or two goats, even a glimpse of what I thought was a unicorn. The trees opened up into a small clearing, and Leone crouched down. I slid off his back and looked around.

"What are we doing here Leone?" He turned and looked at the far side of the clearing. A bright blue Pegasus stepped through the trees, its wings fluttering slightly. It nickered and walked over to me, pushing into my chest without hesitation. "Oof. Who are you?" It snorted as it looked into my eyes. "Cosmic Pegasus?" It neighed and shook out its mane, fluttering its wings a little. I smiled. "Well this is unexpected. You are gorgeous." It nickered and turned sideways, lowering its wing a little. Leone nudged me forward. "Wait. You want me to get on?" They both made sounds of confirmation and Pegasus dropped down to its front knees. I stepped forward and placed my hands on its back, carefully swinging my leg over it. I straddled it and held onto its mane as it stood up. Leone roared and turned, walking back the way we came, Pegasus following. I ducked under branches until we got to the large plain. Pegasus snorted and spread its wings, shaking them out.

Leone stepped back and Pegasus started out at a trot, then a canter. Soon it was sprinting, flapping its wings as it ran up a hill. It reached the top and leaped, flapping hard as we took off. I held onto its mane tightly as we flew high into the sky. It looped around a few times before shooting higher, flapping hard. My whole world grew darker as we started to leave the atmosphere, but I wasn't feeling any loss of air. Pegasus neighed and flapped as hard as it could, its body surrounded by a streak of energy as it rocketed through space. Looking ahead I could see a massive galaxy looming over us. Pegasus flew around it, star dust shifting with every flap of its wings. I reached my hand out, it felt like it was soft sand running through my fingers. I grabbed a handful of it, when Pegasus snorted and shot back towards our take off spot, once again rocketing through space. I ducked down as heat began to build around us. Soon it pulled back, slowing down and landing on the ground at a run. It ran over to Leone, who was standing in the same place it was when we left. Pegasus snorted and dropped it its knees, allowing me to slide off of its back.

"That was incredible! Thank you Pegasus!" It snorted again and shook itself out. Leone moaned and nudged my clenched hand. "Oh, I hope you don't mind Pegasus, I was curious." I opened my hand to reveal a small pile of stardust that sparkled brightly. Pegasus bumped my shoulder, showing me it was fine. Leone reached over and sniffed at the powder, letting out a huge sneeze when some went up his nose. I laughed at him. Pegasus nudged my hand closer to Leone, who blinked. Pegasus pawed at the ground a couple of times, and Leone's eyes went wide. He reached forward and stuck his tongue out, licking up most of the powder. His eyes flashed purple and he threw his head back, letting out a massive roar as his energy shot upwards. I was pushed back, feeling the pressure.

"What is this?!" Leone roared again, his power increasing even more. "Aaaah! Leone!" The light blinded me, my whole world disappearing for a moment. I slowly opened my eyes and looked around. The landscape was gone. But instead of a black void, my world was white. I heard a roar and saw Leone charging up to me, skidding to a stop right in front of me. He was a lot bigger than before. Now his back stood about shoulder height. He had a purple chain wrapped around his neck and each of his paws. A single metal plate sat in the center on his chest, looking like purple armor with green highlights. "Leone?! Is that you?!" He roared and tackled me, completely burying me in his mane as he wrapped his front legs around me, rolling onto his back.

"Mmph! Leone!" I pushed myself up, laying on his chest. He nuzzled me, a loud purr erupting from his throat. I hugged his neck, his fur completely hiding me. "How did you get so big?!"

"Star dust." My head snapped up at the familiar voice and looked over, seeing Majesty floating over to us.

"What are you doing here?" She grunted.

"Still as rude as ever."

"Answer the question."

"I'm here to see Leone's slight improvement."

"Slight? He's massive."

"Maybe in size. Power, that's a different story." She flew around us slowly as Leone stood up and glared at her. I squinted my eyes, keeping myself turning to face her.

"Don't even think about it."

"See, I would watch your tone in here boy."

"Getting brave your highness?"

"I should be asking you that." She stopped and curled up in midair. "After all, this is no longer your dream world." She opened her mouth and shot a fireball at us. Leone's chains wrapped around my waist and pulled me close as he returned fire. Purple and orange fireballs collided midair, an explosion rocking the world. Leone roared defiantly at her. "Think that was power? That was just a taste."

"Stop it! Leave us alone!" I pulled myself free from Leone's grasp and stepped forward. "Why did you come back?"

"To prove a point." She shot another fireball at me, and I held up my hand. The marking glowed brightly as the fire hit it, stopping it in its tracks. "Not going to work." She said tauntingly. The fireball exploded, knocking me backwards. I slammed into Leone, knocking us both off our feet. I struggled to stand up.

"Okay, that hurt."

"Leone may have gained more power, but it does not have a Star Fragment. Not like me!" Hot streams of fire exploded from the ground as she roared, one of them right next to me, knocking me off my feet.

"AH!" I hit the ground, rolling. Leone roared and ran over, nudging me. "Okay. That, REALLY hurt." I pushed myself to my feet, leaning against Leone for support. "I'm getting really sick of you using us for your amusement."

"What can I say, I'm bored." I scowled.

"You know what Majesty? We may not be as strong as you, but don't think we will go down without a fight. We are tired of you using us! And this ends tonight!"

"We will see. Rah!" Majesty rushed forward, and Leone and I leapt to the side. I turned and faced her, only to hit the deck when her tail lashed out, almost taking my head with it.

"Yikes!" I scrambled to my feet, dashing over to Leone. Majesty turned around and roared, shooting a fireball at us. I held up my hand and Leone stood behind me, bracing both of us. The fireball slammed into my outstretched hand, and I felt both of us skid backwards a ways. I pushed against the fireball, making it stop. I gritted my teeth and grabbed it with both hands. "I. Will not. Be your TOY!" I drew my arms back as far as I could, bringing the fireball above my head. I took a step, throwing the fireball with everything I had. Majesty glared at it.

"You think using my power against me will help?!" Another fireball collided with the returned one, a massive explosion rocking our world. Leone and I took a few steps backwards. "I don't know how you did that, but it was meaningless." I held my hand out to my side, the symbol flashing.

"Well, let's just say it was a gift from a very dear friend."

"It will do you no good to fight!" She flew through the cloud of smoke, diving at us. Leone and I leapt in opposite directions. Majesty pulled up, twisting around and slammed into Leone, knocking him away.

"Leone!" I ran forward, helping him to his feet. "Alright, we need to end this. Somehow." Leone roared and I felt a click in my mind, power flooding through me. Flames enveloped both of us as we roared to the sky. I felt something on my left hand as the symbol on it glowed and saw purple armor with green highlights forming around me. A sword appeared in front of me, and I grinned and grasped it. It was the perfect weight. I looked over the edge of the blade at Majesty as a helmet formed around my head. "Time to skin a dragon."


	22. Chapter 22

**So before anyone says anything, I've tested Burn Leone against my L-drago Destructor. L-drago doesn't actually win that often, in either of the two stadiums I've got. Granted they are both catered more towards stamina or defense types, but still. Leone normally wins in a sleep out. S yeah, either the L-drago I got is defective(never gotten a bad one from Takara Tomy) or Burn Leone is just that well balanced between defense and stamina.**

Majesty looked on in shock. Leone shot a large stream of fire from his maw, waving it around as Majesty bobbed and weaved to avoid it. She shot her own stream of fire, which collided with his. The massive explosion filled the scene with smoke. I dashed forward, the new armor light but strong. It felt like it was helping me move. I leapt high, really high, and came down in Majesty, slashing at her. She roared and swung her tail. I blocked it with my arms, my feet skidding on the white floor. I swung the sword back and charged forward, slashing upwards as she bit at me. The sword collided with her jaw, making her jerk up. I slashed sideways, making her roar in pain. I took a flying leap, bringing my feet down on her nose, slamming it into the ground. She roared again and exploded into flames.

"I will not be mocked!" Majesty charged us at high speeds, almost too fast to see. She hit both of us, driving us high into the sky. My sword was knocked out of my hand as I squirmed in pain. Leone and I cried out as a massive explosion shook us. I hit the ground hard, Leone landing next to me.

"Such weaklings need to learn their place." Majesty started to leave when she heard me cry out.

"Is that all you have you pathetic excuse for a dragon?!" She snapped around, roaring in rage.

"You survived that?!" I was helping Leone get to his feet.

"You think we will just bow down because of one Special Move?! It didn't work last time, and we are so much stronger than before! We won't lose to the likes of you!" Leone and I roared as we powered up. My sword flew into my hand and I pointed it at her. "This ends. Tonight!" Majesty was enraged. How did these two keep getting up? How were they still fighting? This was ridiculous. She roared and shot a massive flame at us. I stepped forward and held up my hand, the symbol glowing bright as a shield formed in front of us. The fire harmlessly passed by. I grunted and pushed my Blader's Spirit to the limit, the sword in my hand glowing with a purple fire. Leone crouched down and I hopped on. Leone's eyes flashed and he sprinted forward, pushing his speeds to the limit. "Finishing move: Wild Call!" Leone and I turned into a streak of light as we flew towards Majesty.

"Don't think that will do anything! Dragon Emperor Life Destructor!" Fire spewed from her as she matched our speed. We all cried out as we collided, our world filled with an explosion of massive proportions. I lost track of everything and my senses slowly shut down one by one. Last thing I saw was Leone lying next to me, his eyes squeezed shut. I sighed.

_'We tried...'_

««{{¤}}»»

I shot up, looking around before sighing. I was in my bed.

"What the heck was that dream?" I looked over at Leone, only to gasp. It had changed. I picked it up and looked it over. The new Fusion Wheel was purple, and it glinted in the rising sun streaming through the window. I flipped out of bed and turned on my computer. Thankfully, Wiki was useful for finding parts of different Beyblades. I scrolled through the pictures, trying to find a match. "Ah hah! Gotcha." I clicked on the link and I looked over the name. "Hades Leone huh..." I read up on it and looked at Leone in my hand. "Well, this is interesting."

I did some more research on my newly evolved Bey, and found it to be rather interesting. The whole combo was Hades Leone CH120 FB.

"...Cool." I got ready for the day quickly and moved down the hall to Ryan's room. Knocking on it, I heard him call me in. I stepped in to see him sitting at his desk, working on a note book.

"What's up James?"

"Check this out." I held up Leone and Ryan gasped, snatching it from my hand. He looked it over.

"That's a wicked Fusion Wheel! How'd you get it?!" I sighed and sat down on his bed.

"It's a long story. It started when I first had a dream..."

««{{One Story Later}}»»

"And Leone and I fought with everything we had. Sadly, she was still too powerful. One last attack was all it took to wipe us out, and I woke up after that," I held up Leone, "To find this."

"...That's awesome! How can I do that?" I internally cringed.

"I'm not sure. Leone did all of the work." It glinted in the light.

"Come on, you gotta show me!" I thought about it for a minute, then I had an idea.

"Come on, I wanna try something."

««{{¤}}»»

Ryan and I had hiked into the hills, finding a small grotto that we had always played in growing up. I pulled out my launcher and loaded up.

"Let's see if we can't do this." I launched and Leone ran around the clearing a few times. With the new Performance Tip, Leone was faster than before. It zipped around and stopped in front of us, spinning calmly. I knelt down and held my hand over it. The centrifugal force was much stronger. Leone gleamed and I stepped back as it was doused in a hot flame. The flame formed Hades Leone and he shook his mane out, his chains clinking together.

"Woah. He's massive." Leone almost smirked and I reached up, petting his head.

"Yeah. I wasn't expecting this." Ryan stepped forward, reaching up. Leone pressed into his hand as he stared in awe. I smiled.

"Hey, James." I turned to Ryan.

"What's up?" He looked nervous.

"I uh...I never told you before. But I uh, took this." He dug something out of his pocket and held his hand out. I gasped when I saw a Bey. Ray Serpent. The Bey that I had my first hard battle against. I took it out of his hand and looked it over. Yup, this was it.

"Ryan, how did you get this?"

"That punk left it in the stadium. He never tried looking for it, so obviously he didn't care about it that much." I saw a small glint off of the Fusion Wheel. It was almost timid. I turned to the open portion of the grotto and pulled out my launcher. "Wait." I glanced at Ryan. "Can I?" I nodded after hesitating.

"Sure, I guess." I handed him Serpent and he loaded up. He took a breath and widened his stance.

"Let It Rip!" Serpent flew forward and landed on the ground in front of us. It just sat there. I stepped forward, crouching in front of it.

"Hey there Serpent. Do you remember me?" A dark energy spewed from it, pouring out like smoke. I stepped back as a large snake formed from the smoke. Its scales were black, and its eyes were green, a faint yellow glow came off its scales. It hissed lowly and lowered its head. Leone stepped up next to me, a warning growl making Serpent pull back. I put my hand on Leone's side. "It's okay Leone." I took a step forward, and Serpent brought its eyes to my level. Its hood flared and it let out a hiss. I didn't move. Its hood retreated and it closed its mouth, flicking its tongue out.

"James?" I tilted my head in Ryan's direction, without breaking eye contact. "Serpent. Stand down." I raised an eyebrow, turning to Ryan. He walked up, planting himself just ahead of me. Serpent pulled back a small bit, surprised the human was challenging it. It pulled up and hissed as Ryan walked forward, holding a hand up. Serpent lowered its head, waving it back and forth a little. Ryan stood firm, and his resolve reminded me of him bonding with Bull. Serpent then tilted its head forward, pressing against his hand. The yellow glow shattered, and Serpent relaxed. Ryan smirked. "Do you want a new Blader? I know that punk didn't treat you very well." I looked closer and noticed its scales were dulled slightly. It was worn out. It stared into his eyes before nodding. I grinned.

"Ryan, did you just get a second Beyblade?" He turned to me as Serpent gently bumped him with its nose.

"I guess so." He chuckled lightly, then yelped when Serpent scooped him up with its head, lifting him high into the air. He laughed as Serpent gave him a ride around the grotto. It set its head down and Ryan slid off. He patted its nose. "Serpent, you are amazing." It hissed lightly. "Let's go get you fixed up huh?" It nodded, then shattered, its Bey spinning around Ryan's feet before jumping straight up. Ryan swiped his arm through the air, catching it. He grinned and held it up. "Oh yeah!" I chuckled. "So, how do I deal with two Beys?"

"Heck if I know. You might have to ask Gingka." He nodded. "Want to see Leone's new strength?" He grinned.

"Let's head there now!" We headed out, Leone spinning around us to get used to the new form.

««{{¤}}»»

***Ding ding ding***

"I'll be up in a minute!" I heard Madoka's voice from downstairs. I sat down and sighed, grateful for the time to rest my feet. Ryan, on the other hand, was restless. After about two minutes, I cracked an eye open.

"You're going to run a hole through the floor." He sighed, looking frazzled.

"Sorry, I just...I don't know..."

"What is it?" I asked, opening both eyes.

"I...I feel, it's almost like there is two pressures fighting it out." I titled my head.

"Think it's Bull and Serpent?"

"It might be?" He pulled out both Beys and looked them over. Bull started glowing, and Serpent did as well. Red fire ran up his right arm, while a black fog covered his left one, enveloping him completely. The colors were split evenly down his body, his right side covered in red while the left covered in blackness. He looked himself over in awe, then winced as the flames grew in size. I sat up, concerned.

"Ryan?" He looked over at me, then closed his eyes.

"Knock it off you two." He grunted and his Blader's Spirit enveloped him, chasing away the other energy. He sighed and held the two Beys up. "No more fighting." I saw them both gleam. "Good." At that moment, Gingka walked into the shop.

"Hey Ryan! James!"

"Hey Gingka!" I said as I smiled.

"So um, what just happened?" Gingka said. I tilted my head.

"What do you mean?" He held up a finger.

"I felt a Bey Spirit rise in strength for a moment." Ryan nodded.

"Yeah, that was me."

"What happened?"

"Do you remember that kid that I got Leone from?" I asked.

"Um...oh yeah! What about him?"

"Once I beat him, he actually left his Bey in the stadium as he ran. Ryan picked it up." Ryan held out both Bull and Serpent.

"They were fighting for a moment, so I had to break it up."

"Woah, you have two Beys?!" Gingka snatched Serpent from him and looked it over. "It looks really strong." Gingka handed it back to him. Ryan nodded.

"I think so too."

"So, what are you going to do with it?"

"Probably train with it, get both Bull and Serpent stronger."

"A Blader with two Beys? That sounds awesome!" Gingka's eyes lit up. "You have to battle me!" I sighed.

"Gingka, he hasn't even been able to bond with Serpent properly. There's no guarantee it will listen to him." Gingka slumped over.

"Oh. I guess you're right." I laughed and turned to see Madoka coming up the stairs.

"Hey guys!"

"Madoka!" We all greeted her.

"Why is everyone here?" Gingka jumped in.

"I wanted to see if there has been any news from Yuki yet."

"None yet, but he said he'll check in in a couple of days."

"Right." Ryan stepped forward, holding out Serpent.

"Madoka, could you check it over for me?" Madoka looked between Ryan, Gingka and myself.

"Did you tell them?" I flipped out.

"You knew?!" She held her hands up, a bead of sweat running down her face.

"He asked me to keep it a secret!" I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

"Ryan why?" He held up his hands.

"I felt like I shouldn't tell you till everything settled down." I nodded, taking a breath.

"...Okay, fair enough." I could see his point. Madoka took Serpent and we walked down stairs. She scanned it and went to work.

"It looks like...wow, that's a big crack!" She pulled it out and laid the pieces out on the work bench. She dropped her goggles over her eyes and got to work. I glanced over her shoulder and winced when I saw a large crack running down one side of the Energy Ring.

"Did I do that?"

"Maybe, but don't worry, I'll have it fixed in no time." She said, only glancing at me for a split second.

"Madoka, you are a miracle worker." She blushed and waved off the praise.

"W-what? No, I just, I like helping, that's all!" She looked down at the Bey. "I'm not a very strong Blader, so I have to do everything I can to help the others." She looked up at me, smiling, "Besides, it's what I'm good at." I nodded.

"Fair enough." Gingka, Ryan and I sat down on the couches, relaxing. I pulled out Leone and held it with a closed hand so Gingka couldn't see it. "Hey Gingka."

"What's up?"

"I never realized how cool it is to have a Bey evolve." He nodded, a smile on his face.

"Yeah, it was really cool!"

"At least, not till now." I grinned at the confused look on his face.

"Huh?" I held up Leone and he gasped. "WHAT?! SINCE WHEN?!"

"Quiet I'm trying to work!" Madoka spun around, only to gasp as well when she saw my new Leone. Gingka swiped it from me, looking it over with glowing eyes. Madoka set down her stuff and stepped over, quickly pulling out her computer and scanning it. "When did this happen James?"

"Just this morning." Gingka was freaking out.

"But how?!"

"Let's just say it was a gift from Pegasus."

"Huh? Pegasus? My Pegasus?" I nodded. He pulled out his Bey, looking at it.

"Do you remember how I told you L-drago would visit me in my dreams?" He thought for a minute, then nodded.

"Oh yeah!"

"Pegasus did the same thing last night. And it helped give Leone a power boost." Madoka tapped away on her computer, giving us a quick rundown.

"Wow, its speed and attack power have nearly tripled! That wide Fusion Wheel has three large gaps, allowing for amazing power! And that Spin Track has a height gimmick, allowing it to shift in between two different heights while battling. That Performance Tip isn't very common either." I jumped in, grateful I had done my research.

"It acts like a two different Performance Tips. Sitting upright, it's on a ball. Tilted, it runs around at high speeds." Madoka looked up at me.

"Wow, you've done your research."

"Yup, I looked over each part. It's a Balance Type that has strength in all three other types." She nodded.

"That's true. Its Stamina has been increased by the wide Fusion Wheel, and its Defense and Attack are both incredible." I nodded. Gingka pumped a fist in the air.

"Alright! I want to battle you so badly!" I smirked.

"I might put up more of a fight this time." He got giddy and ran upstairs.

"I wanna battle right now!" I laughed and followed him. We jogged over to the nearest park, and took our places on either side of a stadium. "Are you ready James? I'm so pumped!" He said as he loaded up. I smirked and nodded, looking at Leone. Something in the back of my mind was making me a little nervous, but I pushed it down. I had already battled Gingka before. And even with this power boost, I still doubted I could match him. I loaded up and took my stance.

"I'm ready!" Madoka nodded and raised her hand.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let It Rip!" Leone and Pegasus landed in the stadium. Leone shot down to the center, immediately taking a defensive stance. Gingka threw his arm out.

"Go Pegasus!" Pegasus rushed Leone, and I pulled my hand back.

"Leone dodge!" Leone pulled back, avoiding Pegasus as it screamed past. Leone settled in the center again. Pegasus used the slope of the stadium to slow down, turning around and dashing at Leone again. Same attack, same result.

"Gah! Get him Pegasus! Barrage Mode!" A click sounded and Pegasus was able to land a bunch of smaller attacks onto Leone, knocking it off balance. "Yeah! Get him!"

"Leone! Change height!" Leone's Spin Track extended and Pegasus missed. Leone settled back down into the middle and started building up wind. Pegasus dashed around to build up speed, and rushed it.

"That trick won't work! Pegasus, Smash Mode!" Another click and Pegasus poured on the speed.

"Leone, release it!" Leone sat there. "Leone! Release it-!" Pegasus slammed into Leone, an explosion rocking our world. Leone landed on the side of the stadium, barely inside. "Wheew, that was close. Leone, what's the big idea?!" Leone drifted down to the center of the stadium and settled, then started building up more wind. "What?" I looked at Madoka as she spoke up.

"Wow, look at this! Leone can now store the wind thanks to its raised Fusion Wheel, meaning even if it gets hit, it still holds it!" I blinked in surprise

"Really? Well, that's convenient. I guess Leone already knew that." I looked down to see Pegasus knocking Leone around, Gingka cheering it on.

"Yeah! Get him Pegasus!"

"Gah! Leone, drop your height and fight back!" Leone dropped and whipped around, slamming into Pegasus and stopping it in its tracks.

"Huh? Pegasus!" Even with the attack power Leone had, it still couldn't match up to Pegasus. It was thrown away, with Pegasus keeping right on its tail. Leone bounced twice, and Pegasus slammed into it, causing another explosion.

"Gr, Leone, bounce off of it!" Pegasus went in for another attack, and Leone used the momentum to go flying. It landed near the middle of the stadium, and when it flashed, and large gust of wind spread out from it, knocking Pegasus off balance. "Woah! I didn't expect that!" Leone took off in a streak of light, dashing around and slamming into a still recovering Pegasus.

"Ahh! Pegasus, fight it!" Pegasus pulled away just long enough to switch to Upper Mode, knocking Leone away with the next hit.

"Leone!" It landed and dashed around, not giving up. "Leone stop! You can't keep taking direct hits like that!" Leone flashed and slammed into Pegasus, sounding like a buss saw. An explosion rang out, and I thought I heard Pegasus whinny. The smoke cleared and Leone was sitting in the middle. It began to build energy. Sparks began to fly and hot fire was poured out from the Bey. It spiraled around it, forming a pool at the bottom of the stadium. Leone powered up and the pool grew in size. I could feel the heat from where I was standing. "Gah! What is this? Leone!"

"Pegasus!" Pegasus dashed around the outside of the stadium, gaining speed. A blue light covered it as it moved faster and faster. Leone flashed and the fire grew, slowly filling up the stadium. "Pegasus, go faster! Even faster!" I felt the wind from Pegasus as it passed, and knew what they were doing. "Special Move: Pegasus Storm Bringer!" Before Pegasus could fully complete the move, Leone flashed again, and the fire grew hotter. I threw my arms up, protecting my face from the heat while stumbling backwards. Ryan pulled Madoka back, covering her with his body.

"Leone! NO!"

"WAAAAH PEGASUS!" Leone's Spirit formed and roared to the sky. The fire erupted, a pillar of hot flame shooting into the sky. I fell back, and everything went dark for a second.

I shook my head as I sat up. My skin was slightly red from the heat. I quickly got up and ran up the steps to check on everyone. Gingka was getting up, and he gasped when he saw Pegasus lying next to him. It had been knocked out. I stared in shock as Leone was sitting in the stadium, the Fusion wheel glowing and smoking. My eyes widened in horror when I heard a shout of pain. I ran over to Ryan and Madoka, only to freeze, staring at Ryan's exposed back. His clothes had been burnt away. I dropped to my knees next to him.

"RYAN! Ryan please, talk to me! Come on kid, say something!" He looked at me through squinted eyes, tears flowing freely down his face as he curled up in pain.

"James! It-! It hur-rts!" I turned to Madoka, who looked fine physically.

"Call an ambulance!" She jumped and nodded.

"O-o-okay!" She was shaking as she called them. "We need an ambulance! There's been an accident at the Bey Park. Someone is badly injured!" I fell back onto my butt as I stared at Ryan.

"...What have I done...?"

**Oops, James may have gotten too eager and didn't realize just how strong Leone had gotten with his new form. Ryan is now injured, and James isn't sure what just happened.**

**Find out if Ryan is going to be okay in the next chapter!**

**~Silverleone**


	23. Chapter 23

**Sorry for the weight everyone! This week has been chaos and it's only going to get crazier from here. We are moving to a new house just the other side of town within the next few weeks, so it's going to be hit or miss with anything I'm doing nowadays!**

**Anyways, enjoy!**

**~Silverleone**

"Where is my child?!" I flinched when I heard the awfully familiar voice of my mother hurrying through the halls. I looked up when the door was thrown open, and my mom rushed in, my dad following closely behind. I stood up and blocked her path.

"Mom."

"James, where is he? I need to see-! ...James?" I looked miserable. My eyes were shadowed, and I had bags under them. I hadn't slept since I had gotten to the hospital, staying up out of worry. Ryan had suffered second and third degree burns all over his back. The doctors had quickly knocked him unconscious so he wouldn't be in pain anymore. "James, why is Ryan in the hospital?" I stepped to the side, showing Ryan laying on his stomach. His back was still exposed, and he was under anesthesia. Her hands went up to her mouth as she gasped, tears swelling up in her eyes. My dad wrapped her in a hug, turning her away from the horrendous sight.

"What happened?" He said, the cold tone used to mask his worry.

"...It was my fault." He was confused, his brows nearly meeting as his face went stone cold. I would have normally flinched at the look, seeing the fire behind his eyes, but I wasn't feeling anything at the moment.

"What?"

"My Bey got too strong for me to control. It...It wouldn't listen to me...I couldn't...I wasn't strong enough to save...tch!" I ducked my head, turning away. I glared at Hades Leone, who was sitting on the table in the corner, as far away from Ryan as possible. "Why didn't you listen to me? Do you know what you've done?" The Bey sat there, but I could feel its Spirit shrink by just the smallest fraction, almost like it was cowering. "You should be scared! You're lucky I don't smash you to pieces right here and now! You almost KILLED HIM!" I shouted, a tear running freely down my face.

"Tell us what happened." My dad said. I couldn't stay.

"I-! Just." I fled from the room. I ran down the halls as I could hear my father chasing me, calling for me to stop. I dodged around a nurse pushing a cart and slammed the doors open, not stopping once I got outside. I couldn't stand to see Ryan in that condition anymore. Knowing I was why it happened made me feel sick.

I made it to the forest edge before collapsing. My body heaved as the images of Ryan's injured body finally sunk in. I threw my head back and screamed to the sky as my Blader's Spirit exploded.

"GAHAHAAaaa!" My energy quickly depleted and I fell to my side. Tears fell as I sobbed on the ground. I heard footsteps approaching at a run.

"James!" My father dropped to my side, checking me over. He picked me up and wrapped me in a hug as I tried to get any words out around the tears.

"It's, it's all, my fault! If I had ***sniff*** only been, stronger! Ryan wouldn't be hurt!" My dad stayed silent as I cried eventually myself to exhaustion. Once I had passed out, he picked me up and carried me back to the hospital.

My mom was silently watching Ryan when my dad stepped into the room. He laid me carefully on the couch and dropped into a chair. He rubbed his face as he tried to sort through his thoughts. My mom spoke up.

"What do we do?" My dad tried to think of the proper words to say.

"...They are both going to suffer through this. You know how much James cares about Ryan. They are both going to be hurting for a long time." My mother sighed.

"I knew you were going to say that. Is there any way we can help?" My dad looked at both of us in turn.

"...Just be a shoulder for them."

««{{Hours Later}}»»

I slowly woke up to a steady beeping noise, and it brought back the memories of being in the hospital. I blinked myself awake and looked around. It was dark, and there was only a single light glowing gently on the other side of the room. I sat up and saw my mom and dad both passed out in chairs, holding hands. I looked at Ryan's face and sighed, guilt crushing me. His face still held a glimmer of pain.

"I am so, so, sorry Ryan. I wasn't strong enough to protect you..." I whispered. I brushed a single tear away and put my feet on the floor. I picked Leone up, determination glowing in my eyes. "I'm going to break you for what you've done." I said quietly as I glared at the Bey. I walked out of the room, gently latching the door shut.

My parents would wake up to a simple note.

_I am sorry Ryan had to be hurt because of me. I will be back and I will be strong enough to protect him from anything. Don't wait up for me._

_~James_

««{{¤}}»»

I calmly walked into a clearing in the trees. I had been traveling for about a week, just trying to think. I couldn't be around anyone. It just wasn't safe for them. Hades Leone was too strong. I couldn't control it. But I knew what I had to do. I loaded it onto my launcher and took a deep breath.

"Let It Rip!" Leone landed in front of me and sat still. "Come out here." Leone hesitated, but the purple flames jumped up, forming the green lion. He stared calmly at me, matching my gaze. "Why did you do it?" Leone shocked me by raising his head up in a gutsy move. "Why?! Why did you hurt Ryan?!" He didn't move. "Answer me!" He stayed put. I stomped up to him, and before either of us realized what had happened, his cheek flared in pain as my open hit it with enough force to turn his head. "ANSWER ME!" Leone let out a loud roar as he glared at me, the flames erupting from him throwing me back. I rolled to my hands and knees as he growled at me. I huffed and got up. "Alright. You wanna fight? Here's one you'll never forget."

««{{¤}}»»

I stood in the middle of the desert, the blazing sun scorching my exposed skin as I controlled my breathing. My lungs were aching due to the heat, but I ignored it. I opened my eyes and Leone was standing there, watching me. I was actually asleep, and Leone had pulled me into a desert scape. I guess he wanted to show his power in his own domain.

"This isn't so bad." He growled when I said that, and I cried out at a pillar of fire erupted from below me. The fire stopped and I fell to my side, my clothes smoking. Leone walked up to me and pushed me onto my back with a paw, then planted that paw on my chest, the pressure shoving the air out of my lungs. He raised his chains, a low growl rumbling from his throat. I pushed his paw back and weakly myself up, one of my eyes closed in pain. "Yeah, not so bad." He roared and the chains lashed out, knocking me away. I rolled to a stop on the hot sand. He stomped over and growled over my still form. He tilted his head when a light started glowing under my hand, and armor appeared around it. The armor fully encased my body and I stood up. "So. You wanna play?" My sword appeared in front of me and I grabbed it. "Let's play."

««{{4 months later}}»»

I slammed against a tree, gasping for air. My hair was singed and my skin was slightly red. I dropped to the ground, my arms falling to my sides as I tried to get oxygen into my lungs. Hades Leone stood in front of me, his chains covered in purple fire. He stared, a now common look. I pushed myself to my feet, leaning against the tree.

"That all you got?" It growled and shot a fireball. I rolled to the side as it took out the tree. "Why don't you listen to me anymore?! We've never had this trouble before you evolved!" I ducked away from another attack. "You were always so willing to listen to me, even when you knew how inexperienced I was." He just stared, and I gritted my teeth while turning away. "Tch. I miss the weaker Leone." I heard a loud roar and he fired again. I leapt to the side and spun just in time to duck under a paw. I brought a fist up and slammed it into his jaw. He grunted and took a step back, scowling at me. "You heard me right! I wish I had Burn Leone back! Because then I could battle for fun! Then I could enjoy Beyblading! Then, I could actually live without constant fear!" Leone paused. "Yeah. Haven't picked it up yet? I'm scared, Leone. I'm scared that I will never be strong enough to control you. You want to hurt my friends? My family? My brother? Then it's over. For the both of us. No more battles, no more Beyblade. Nothing. Because I am not willing to put my family or friends at risk because you are too prideful to listen to me!" Leone set his paw down slowly.

"I'm sorry I'm not strong enough to make you respect me, but have you forgotten the times we've had? The battles and adventures we've already experienced? It hadn't even been a year, and we were so close as Bey and Blader! Gingka himself said so!" A thoughtful look came over Leone, and his poised chains lowered slightly. "I wanted us to be the best! I wanted us to be the strongest! But not like this! Because this isn't us, Leone! This is just you!" My leg flared in pain from an earlier fight and I lowered myself to a knee. "I wanted _us_ to do this together. But we can't." I dropped my head. "I want my old friend back." A single tear fell onto the grass and I took a deep breath. This was going to hurt. I had been putting it off in hopes I could convince him otherwise, but he wouldn't listen. "I can't do this anymore." I stood up, more tears in my eyes. "I can't be your Blader." Leone's eyes widened. "I can't keep fighting you, Leone. So I'm done." I turned away. "You have plenty of stamina left. Go find a Blader you deem worthy." I limped off, heading back in the direction of my town. It was going to be harder getting back, as it was safer with a Bey, even one that didn't listen to me. I shoved down my sadness. I had to be strong. I couldn't crack. I had gone too far to crack. I slowed down to a stop when I heard footsteps behind me, and sighed without turning around.

"Are we really going to make this more painful than needed? I don't deserve you as a Bey, so go find someone who does." I started to take a step, when chains wrapped around my waist, jerking me backwards. I fell onto my back and rolled to my feet. "Don't touch me!" Leone took a step back as my Spirit flared, shattering his chains in an instant. Leone stared in shock as my Spirit grew in size. "I'm going to give you one final chance. Leave." Leone roared at me, a bit of fear in his eyes. "Don't play your games with me. I'm no fool! I won't be bullied by the thing that nearly killed my brother! HRAAAH!" I knocked him back with my Spirit, taking myself to my knees at the expended energy. Leone slowly got up, looking in what had to be true fear and concern for me. I did my best to deny it. He had to be faking it. One of his sick games he had been playing over the past few months.

My body was on the point of collapsing, but I endured it. There was no way I could fall in front of him now. I had been strong this whole time. I ducked my head as I gathered any bit of energy I could, forcing my body past its limits I thought I had passed a long time ago. I heard metal clinking and expected chains to lash out and strike me down. But they wrapped around my waist and gently lifted me to my feet. I looked at him through my grown out hair as the chains retreated. Leone was standing there with a somber look.

"...So. What's it going to be...?" Leone closed his eyes and bowed his head to me. I didn't move for a minute. "...Good..."

««{{¤}}»»

I woke up to a gently burning fire. I slowly sat up and saw Leone sitting across the fire from me, staring. Again.

"Have we made our choice then?" Leone stood up and stepped through the fire. He walked around behind me and laid down, curling around me. He laid his head on his paws and groaned. I laid down, pressing into his side. "It's good to have my friend back." He lifted his head and bumped me with his nose. I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his mane. "...Thank you Leone."

««{{¤}}»»

Leone was finally working with me, and it made traveling so much easier. I could really feel our bond growing back. Granted, there were going to be the scars. But, we both felt like they would help us grow stronger in the end. I was walking through the forest, and having officially no idea where I was, sighed.

"Great. How am I going to get home when I've got nothing to show me where to go?" I kept on walking, until I saw a Bey sitting in the middle of the trail. I immediately grew tense and looked around. I noticed a Blader's Spirit off to my left, but kept my eyes on the Bey. I crouched down and looked at it. It couldn't have been spinning long, as it had plenty of energy. "Hey little guy, what are you doing out here?" It gleamed as a simple response. I stood up and walked around it. "Alright, have fun on your own then." I smirked when I could tell the Blader was shocked. No one rejects the chance to battle a wide open Bey.

"Hey! Stop right there!" I turned as the Blader stepped out of the brush. Blond hair, blue eyes, with a blue shirt and an orange vest and blue jeans, he looked like a regular Blader.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Don't play that with me! You totally just spoke to my Orion!"

"Oh, that? Nah, I'm just not in the mood to battle, that's all." He caught his Bey.

"Not in the mood? Tch. Well how about I get you in the mood?!" He loaded his Bey onto his launcher and I sighed.

"Dude, I'm sorry, but I don't have time for this." He gritted his teeth.

"You little! Let It Rip!" I ducked underneath the Bey as it flew at me. I spun while slapping Leone onto my launcher, flinging my arm out and throwing Leone right at the Bey. An explosion rocked the forest and I smirked.

"Okay, now I'm in the mood! Leone!" The other guy's Bey dashed around me, settling in between us Bladers. Leone bum rushed the Bey, and an explosion went off. I widened my stance, and noticed Leone was still grinding against the Bey, but it wasn't moving. "Huh?"

"Orion can't be stopped! With the Bearing Drive, there is no friction, meaning it can spin forever!" Orion sat there as Leone beat the snot out of it. Powerful hit after hit rocked the ground. Nothing. I leaned back a little.

"What the? Even a powerful Defense type would move from that. Leone!" Leone backed away and slammed into it, pushing harder. The Blader grinned.

"Not even an attack like that will stop it! Orion is unbeatable!" I smirked.

"I've heard that before. Must be a common thing among cocky Bladers!"

"Why you!" He looked angry, but he didn't attack. Leone kept up the assault, but it's like the other Bey was never touched.

"Okay, maybe there is some validity to your statement, but every Bey has a weakness!" Leone dashed away, leaping up and bouncing off a tree. It smashed into the Bey, and explosion whipping my clothes around. "Geez! What's with this guy?!" The smoke cleared to show the Bey untouched. Leone pulled backed and spun warily. Leone gleamed and I glanced at it. "You really think?" I nodded. "Time to test that theory." Leone began gathering up wind energy.

"What are you up to? Huh punk?"

"Punk? You're the one with the bandana around his ankle like some sort of hippie." He held up a fist.

"Hey! Watch it!"

"Well go on, fight me then." He gritted his teeth and swung his arm out.

"Fine! Orion!" I noticed the Bey didn't move like other Beys. It was hard to describe, but it was strange, that's for sure. Leone dodged around the attack.

"Leone, upper!" Leone's Spin Track extended, giving him a better chance of dodging. Orion ran around, and it obviously was a Stamina Type, with how slow it was. "Come on, hit me!"

"Orion!" It doubled in speed unexpectedly and I yelped, throwing my hand out to the side. Leone leaned around Orion, smacking it away. "Gr! Hold still!" Orion flipped around on a dime and smashed into Leone. A loud saw-like sound echoed through the forest, and a large explosion made me take a step back.

"What the?!" Leone landed near my feet and regained its balance. I glared at the Blader. "Alright, so you pack a punch too. I'm officially impressed."

"Took you long enough. Orion can't be stopped. I've battled in harder places than a simple forest trail. Mud, rain, ice, desert. This is nothing."

"What? Do you just battle anyone you see?"

"Hah! No, I'm a Blader for hire. I take out my target for a price."

"Did someone send you to take me out?" I mentally thought of who would hate me enough for that.

'_No one comes to mind...Unless Ryan suddenly developed a taste for blood after what Leone did…'_

"No. I've been following you for the past day. You seem like a strong Blader, so I wanted to test your skills." I grunted.

_'How did I not notice him? I'm getting sloppy.'_

"Well, Leone did just evolve a few months ago." I nodded, "But there is something different about you. I've only seen it a few other times."

"Huh? What's that?" I quickly thought back to when Gingka and Madoka were telling me about the Star Fragments. Gingka, Kyoya, and Ryuga all had one, and they were searching for the rest.

"Ever have a light from space hit your Bey?" He gasped.

"How did you know about that?"

"I've met a few Bladers that can explain it to you. Because they've had the same thing happen." He looked at his Bey, which was spinning calmly in place.

"The glowing light? Hah! And for a second I believed you!" I squinted my eyes at him.

"Then why did you hesitate?" He stopped laughing as I leveled a look at him. He shifted his stance.

"What's your game?" I pointed at Orion.

"That Bey has a power only a few select others have. I've met three others. That power is needed to stop a monster from taking over this world." He pointed a thumb at himself.

"Hah! For a price, I'll take out anyone. Name it."

"This power wasn't given to you to play with. You were entrusted with it."

"Whatever. Are we going to finish this or what?" I sighed.

"Fine. I'll make you listen." I widened my stance. "Hades Leone, let him have it! All of it!" Leone began whining from the pressure it had built up, and it gave one final push. "Special Move: Royal Flame Hurricane!" The energy built up spiraled into the sky, and Leone roared as a fire ignited the funnel. The hot fire pulled in and up, whipping our clothes around. The Blader put his arms up, his eyes squinting at the bright flames.

"Woah!" The fire grew hotter as oxygen was pulled into it, and Leone moved closer to Orion.

"Let's see that strength kid! Let's see the power of the Star Fragment!" He gritted his teeth as I grinned. "Leone had been building up this energy for a good minute now, so we can do this all day!" I smirked. "What are you going to do now?!"

"Grrr! I won't lose to a pathetic weakling like you! Orion!" The Bey pulled back to his feet, turned, and shot towards the fire at high speeds. It collided with the spinning wall and grinded into it. It kept pushing, and I could tell the flames were having some sort of effect on it. "Go Orion! Raaaaahh!" He threw his head back and shouted, his Spirit erupting. I stepped back as Orion exploded, driving the wind and flames away. The whole forest was quiet, and I looked down to see Leone barely spinning. Orion looked fresh as ever, and the Blader had energy flowing off of him as he breathed heavily. I smiled.

"So it's true then. You really do have the power." I held my hand up and caught Leone, wincing at the almost too hot metal. The kid glared at me and caught Orion.

"It's been a while since I've used that much strength. You're not half bad yourself."

"Well, a Beyblade that doesn't stop spinning is near impossible to beat." He grinned in an almost sadistic manner.

"That's why I'm the world's Strongest Blader!"

"Well, I don't know about that." I waved off the comment.

"What? You lost buddy!"

"Never said I was. There are a few people you need to get through in order to say that. Including one Gingka Hagane."

"Gingka huh? Sounds like a strong Blader."

"Oh, believe me, he'll put up a fight you'll never forget."


	24. Chapter 24

So the Blader's name turned out to be Chris, a rather American name. As he said during the battle, he was a Blader for hire, and went around doing whatever job was needed. He had taken interest in me and said I could tag along. I figured if I could help him come to Gingka's side of things, we wouldn't have any problems. But, he only really did things for money, so that was going to be hard to change. But, I stuck with it, not pushing the topic, but not fully dropping it either. He seemed like a nice guy and just had a bit of a hot head. Currently we were sneaking through the woods, trying to find his latest target. I ducked under a low hanging branch and looked around. Chris waved to get my attention and pointed up. I leaped and grabbed another branch, pulling myself into the trees. We both crouched on the branches and waited.

After a few minutes, I heard some people laughing. They got closer, and I saw Chris load up. He waved to stay where I was and took aim. He took a breath and launched. Orion flew through the air and slammed into the ground with a massive explosion. A couple of shouts were heard, followed by some pretty impressive language.

"Hey! It's a Beyblade! Get it!" I heard a couple of Beys smack Orion around, and I was able to peek through the leaves. Four guys were calling commands, but just like in my battle, Orion didn't lose any energy. It flashed once, then again, and again. The flashes got faster, and a blinding light filled the area. All of the guys shouted, then silence. Chris grunted and dropped to the ground, walking over and taking something from one of the guys. I dropped out of the tree as he caught Orion.

"What's that?"

"One of these punks stole this from someone else. I'm going to return it." He stuffed a necklace into his pocket and looked over the four guys. "Tch. They use plastic Fusion Wheels. That's just sad." I nodded.

««{{2 months later}}»»

Chris had heard that there was a tournament with a huge reward at a place called Beyster Island. We both decided to sign up, and I was hoping Gingka would be there. We got to the island and I was looking around, trying to spot anyone I knew. I saw one kid with black hair going stir crazy at having to wait.

"Oh come on! When is this thing gonna start!"

"Tch, that kid's annoying." I agreed with Chris using a simple nod. I thought I spotted Gingka's flaming head, but I lost sight of it before I could check. "What are you doing?" I glanced at Chris.

"Just trying to see if some of my friends are here. After all, one of them is Gingka."

"Oh yeah, the so called strongest Blader. I'll swipe that title out from under his feet." Finally DJ Blader started the tournament, and we all took off. Chris vanished in a blink, and I was only hoping I didn't get in his cross hairs. I jogged into one of the paths, knowing all of the Blader's would wipe themselves out before I would reach them. And it was happening already. Blader's were battling left and right, and I simply moved passed them. One guy tried to launch his Bey at me, which I ducked under and sent Leone after it. An explosion wiped it out, and I kept going. I bobbed and weaved around the other Bladers, and eventually all of the battles were behind me. I looked around, detecting a single Blader off to my left. I held Leone in my hand and sprinted forward as fast as I could. My time with Chris had helped me to grow physically, and I was a lot faster than I was before. The guy tried to take aim, but I was too fast. He broke out of the brush, shouting at me. I leapt high, spinning in the air, and launching. He screamed as an explosion filled the air. I landed, caught Leone, and kept going. I wasn't going to be the second one to the first gate. I sighed as I stopped at the first stadium, taking my time to calm myself. I heard the battles getting closer, then suddenly they stopped. I looked up to see a figure approaching and I gasped when I recognized them.

"No..."

"Well well well, if it isn't the old base shaker. Long time no see. It's been what? A year?"

««{{Flashback}}»»

"Where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"Don't play stupid! You and I both know why I'm here, and I'm not leaving until I get that Beyblade!" He acted like he caught on, and dug into his pocket.

"Oh! You mean this piece of junk?" He held out a green Beyblade, and while I couldn't see too much from this distance, I knew it was pretty bad. Madoka gasped when she saw its condition.

"How could you let a Beyblade get in that shape?! That is awful!" Ikari grinned sickly.

"I've been using it as my "punching bag"." I was gritting my teeth as Madoka looked on in horror. "It's no use otherwise, it's not strong enough, so I sit there and beat it till it stops spinning. And then do it all over again."

««{{Flashback End}}»»

"So, I'm guessing you got a new Beyblade?" I asked, grimacing as Ikari stopped on the other side of the stadium.

"Yeah, and it's so much stronger than I had hoped. Say hello to Cyclone Capricorn 100 HF. It's fast and strong. Way more than your little Puppy."

"Maybe so, but I'm not scared of a simple goat. Say hello to the one you called worthless." I held up Leone and he gawked.

"WHAT?! What is that?!"

"Hades Leone CH120FB. You just weren't patient enough. Now I'm strong enough to wipe you out no problem." He smirked.

"We'll see about that." We loaded up and took aim.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let It Rip!" Leone took the center while Capricorn dashed around.

"Well, I'll show you it's still useless! Capricorn!" The Bey dashed around, going in for a hit.

"Leone, upper." Leone's Spin Track extended, and Capricorn barreled right past it.

"What?" Capricorn tried to hit it, but Leone danced around it, easily able to dodge the shorter Bey. "Hold still!"

"No thanks." Leone was almost lazily dodging around Capricorn. Its extended Spin Track, combined with its Performance Tip, allowed it to tilt to a smaller angle, leaning right around any attack by zipping a short distance away.

"Capricorn, leap!" Capricorn, while charging Leone, jumped forward, actually making contact. I took a step back as an explosion rocked the arena.

"Alright, now we're talking! Leone, counter it!" Leone shoved Capricorn off and dropped height, dashing around slamming into it, releasing an explosion of its own. Capricorn and Leone went at it, trading hit for hit. After a minute we were both getting tired, and I smirked. "Leone, charge up." Leone settled and raised in height, moving just enough to dodge Capricorn. The energy was getting strong enough to make the wind howl a little. I looked at Ikari. "You've fought well! Against anyone else against you would have lost by now!" Ikari glared at me.

"I'm not done yet!"

"Yeah, you are! The bad part about a pure Attack Type is they have no Stamina. I thought you said that back when we first battled! You've used all of your energy!"

"Don't count me out yet! Capricorn!" The Bey put on a burst of speed, circling the stadium. "Removing any Stamina Type pieces from my Bye increased its Attack power by more than double."

"It's no use! Leone has gathered enough energy!" I held my hands out. "Witness the final move!"

"Not yet! Capricorn Special Move: White Horn Rampage!" Capricorn started glowing in a white light. Its speed doubled.

"Special Move: Royal Flame Hurricane!" Leone forced the wind energy up, sparking it and creating a massive burning tornado. Ikari yelped but recovered and pushed on, his Blader's Spirit glowing hot.

"I won't lose!" Capricorn slammed into the wall of fire, and actually pushed into it a little.

"You already have! Leone!" The tornado grew in strength and Capricorn started losing its hold on its attack.

"Capricorn, fight it!" It doubled in strength, the white light shining against the fire. I felt my Blader's Spirit change, and my eyes flashed. I threw my arms out to the side as purple energy exploded outwards. My voice almost had a demonic tone to it.

"I will not lose to the likes of you!" The fire tornado went from a bright orange color to a deep purple that matched. Ikari shouted in fear and the stadium exploded.

My breathing was deep and heavy as I looked at my hands. Tendrils of energy were floating off my body, and I gasped. Ikari was laying on the ground, Capricorn next to him.

"Tch. I thought I could control it. Hm?" I turned and saw the door opening. I caught Leone, wincing from the heat. I shot a last glance at Ikari. "Sorry kid, it was a good fight though." I took off, the door shutting behind me right as I heard voices entering the area. I ran through the short hallway and came to another stadium. I looked around, seeing it empty.

"So! You're my opponent!" I turned to see a guy with darker blue hair and a long, red coat, stepping out of the shadows and smirking. I immediately noticed a particular energy surrounding him.

"So, you're one of them then." He raised an eyebrow.

"Could you be a little more specific dude?" He shook his head.

"You have a Star Fragment." I said.

"Huh? How do you know about that?" It was my turn to smirk as I tapped the side of my head.

"I know things." He glared and pointed at me.

"Alright dude, I'm going to send you flying! Get ready!" I loaded up, Leone was feeling eager for this one.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let It Rip!" Leone took the center as the other Bey rushed it.

"Dodge Leone!" It pulled back, moving out of the way. "Chase it!"

"Go Variares!" The Bey sped up, moving out of reach. "Go on, do it!" Variares rushed around the stadium, barreling towards Leone.

"Leone, take center!" Leone dodged Variares and settled in the middle. "Charge up!"

"Don't let 'em Variares!" Variares dashed down, slamming into Leone with a massive explosion.

"Woah!" I covered my face as smoke blew over me. "Okay, let's get serious. Leone!" Leone settled and built up more wind.

"Variares!"

"Leone, upper and dodge!" Leone switched heights and leaned around the attack, staying in place.

"Hold still pal!"

"No chance!" Leone dodged Variares every time it came close, and the Blader was getting frustrated.

"Just stop moving!" His Spirit started glowing as he shouted to the sky, and I gasped when I saw his hair change to a pale pink color and stand up. "I won't be mocked by you! Haaaaa!" Variares jumped off the lip of the stadium, and I thought I saw something in it change. It landed and rushed Leone, going much faster than before. Leone didn't have time to dodge and was knocked away. Variares didn't let up, pushing Leone around the stadium.

"Leone! Release it!" A whip of wind lashed out, smacking Variares back. Leone dashed away to regain some balance.

"Go Variares!" It chased Leone down.

"Leone can't take that much damage, Leone fight back!" It dropped in height and dashed away, earning some distance. The Beys were on opposite sides of the stadium, and were gaining speed. I looked at the other Blader. "This had been a good fight. What do you say about going all out?" He grinned.

"If you're sure about that! I won't hold back if you won't!" Leone's Energy Ring immediately started glowing as it gathered energy for one final assault. Variares started glowing as well. We both charged up, our Spirits glowing hot.

"I almost forgot! What's your name?!" I shouted over the noise.

"Huh? Oh yeah! The name's King!" I scoffed.

"Really?!"

"Uh, yeah! Why does no one believe me?!" I grinned and straightened up for a second, bowing at the torso a little before going back to my stance.

"Oh I believe you! Now, let's finish this!" We both shouted as we gave one last push. "Hades Leone Special Move: Royal Flame Hurricane!"

"Special Move: Variares King of Thunder Sword!" Both Beys rocketed down the sides of the stadium, their powers to the max. They collided, and the biggest explosion went off. I felt something fly past my head and ducked. I felt weak, and knew the outcome of the battle before the smoke could settle. I swiped the smoke away and sighed when I saw Leone laying on the ground next to the wall. I picked it up and checked for damage. It looked fine. I turned and saw King running off, heading through the next door. I sighed, looking down at Leone.

"We tried bud. But we just aren't at that level yet."

««{{¤}}»»

I hopped over the stadium seat wall and ran forward as the other Bladers were gathered around the stadium.

"Join us Chris!" Gingka held up a fist.

"What are you going to pay me?"

"Pay you?" I stepped around the group, ignoring the gasps. I hadn't been seen in over six months, so it was a bit of a shock. "JAMES?! Is that you?!" I ignored Gingka in favor of turning to Chris.

"Chris, this is Gingka, the guy I was telling you about." Chris looked interested. But before he could speak, another voice spoke up.

"I can pay you!" I jumped as a guy dressed in a loose white robe landed near him. I cut into the conversation. This guy was giving me the creeps.

"Hey! Who are you?!" The robed man turned to me, raising his long sleeves up.

"Meow, I should be asking you that same question." I internally shuddered. I may like felines, but at least I have enough pride to not meow.

"Johannes! What are you doing here?!" Gingka called out. The guy bit back.

"None of your business! Now, where were we?" Chris raised up a hand.

"I don't come cheap you know."

"Well I can get you anything you want." Chris' eyes lit up.

"On the level?!"

"Chris! Don't fall for it! You're better than this!" I called out. He brushed me off.

"Sorry James, but I know a deal when I see one." I was exasperated.

"Are you kidding me?! You're smarter than that! This guy obviously has bad intentions! Don't fall for a lie like that!" He glared at me.

"Don't talk to me like I'm some kid!"

_'Well, you are...but okay.'_ I thought with a grimace.

"Use your head Chris!"

"Quiet! Neaw!" I whipped out my launcher and was able to meet Johannes' Bey with Leone. An explosion rang out and I glared at him.

"Leave Chris alone you creep!"

"I'm not going to hurt him. I just need to borrow his strength for a while. Stay out of my way!" He hissed as his Bey slammed into Leone, knocking it away.

"Gah! Leone!" Leone dashed around and slammed into the Bey. "I won't let you take him!" I gasped as an explosion rang out. The smoke cleared to show Chris standing there with his launcher in hand. "Chris! What's the big idea?!"

"I'm going James. Stop trying to fight this, it's just another job." A kid with brown hair and glasses spoke up.

"Please, listen to me! They are very bad men who want to take over the world!"

"So? I don't care!" I nearly ran over and decked him.

"Chris don't 'do this!'" Orion knocked Leone away. Everyone surrounding the stadium launched. A good 15 or so Beys were in the stadium, and the battle was on. I noticed Variares and saw King cheering it on as it plowed through the Beys, the black haired kid from the start of the tournament following closely behind with his own Bey.

"Alright Chris. Your first task is to take care of him!" Johannes pointed at Gingka, who glared with a drop of sweat running down his face. After having witnessed Orion wake up to its true power, Gingka wasn't sure what he was getting himself into. I heard a distant, "Let It Rip!" from behind me, and turned in time to see a Bey flying right at me. I yelped and ducked, avoiding it. It slammed into Orion, but didn't back away. I recognized the Bey.

"L-drago..."

««{{Flashback}}»»

"It's good to have a healthy amount of fear kid. Especially when the Dragon Emperor is standing right in front of you."

««{{Flashback End}}»»

I gasped. Orion and L-drago started glowing, and Chris looked like he was in pain, even dropping to his knees. Johannes' Bey knocked Orion out of L-drago's grasp, only to be blown away by said Bey.

"Stop it Ryuga!" I spun at the familiar voice, and saw Kenta grabbing Ryuga's leg. Ryuga knocked Kenta off of him, and I spun around, only to be blinded by a bright flash of light. I looked to see Chris and the others gone. I clenched my fist.

"Darn your pride Chris!"

"James!" I turned to Gingka and sighed.

"Hey Gingka."

"James is that really you?"

"Long time no see? I guess I missed something." Madoka stomped up to me, her cheeks red in anger. "Ah heh, hey Madoka...how's it-!"

*BAM* I dropped to a crouch, holding my head in pain.

"YOU INSENSITIVE JERK! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU?!" I looked up with one eye, rubbing my now bruised head.

"...Not long enough?" I hazarded a guess.

"Since Ryan told us you took off!" I winced and stood up. I ran my fingers through my hair, some of it falling to cover my eyes.

"Madoka...I couldn't stay."

"You! What? Why not?"

"It was too dangerous. I could have hurt someone. I did hurt someone." Everyone went quiet. Gingka and Madoka had been the only ones to see Ryan's injuries at first. I had no idea how long he was in the hospital for, since I left that first night. King stepped forward.

"Hey, I know you!"

"Yeah, King, I'm friends with Gingka and Madoka." He nodded.

"I figured, there was no way you knew about the Star Fragments without knowing these guys." I sighed, and turned when the brown haired guy with glasses spoke up.

"Wait, you know Mr. Gingka? Why haven't I met you before?"

"I was...away."

"Well, it's good to meet you, my name is Yuki."

"James." I shook his hand.

"So, how did you meet Mr. Gingka?"

"Long story for another time." I turned to the mentioned Blader. "Gingka...how is Ryan?" He lowered his eyes a little.

"It took him a couple months to even leave the hospital. The damage was worse than the doctors thought. He is still not back to 100%." I glared at my fist.

"Tch. I did this."

"No." I looked at Gingka.

"What?"

"You didn't do this. Leone was the one that lost control."

"I should have stopped it!"

"How?"

"I!" I didn't have the answer.

"You couldn't. Don't blame yourself." Madoka jumped into the conversation.

"James. Ryan is okay. And he doesn't blame you." I sighed.

"...Where is he?"

"Home. He didn't leave your house very often. At least not until his back wasn't hurting as much." I nodded.

"I need to see him." Madoka nodded.

"Your parents are still searching for you." I winced. They were going to kill me.

"Let's...get this over with."

««{{¤}}»»

I stopped at the entrance to our apartment building. Gingka and Madoka flanked me. I sighed and we walked in, stepping into an elevator.

"Are you nervous?" Madoka asked. I didn't break my gaze from the wall.

"I haven't seen them in six months, and the way I said goodbye was a sticky note saying 'don't wait up for me'." Madoka blinked.

"Oh." I nodded to myself and stepped out of the elevator. I walked down the hall and stopped at the door to my family's apartment. I raised my fist to knock on the door, but hesitated.

_'This is going to hurt. One way or another.' _

***Knock knock knock***

"Just a minute!" I heard my mom's voice through the door. I felt Leone's spirit reach out to me. I nudged it back, thankful for the comfort. The door opened and my mom froze when we made eye contact.

"I've got a lot of explaining to do." Her brow lowered and she grabbed me in a hug.

"...You're safe. That's what matters..." I sighed and returned the hug.

"...Thank you."


	25. Chapter 25

**James is home! How will Ryan react when seeing him?**

**~Silverleone**

It wasn't easy, seeing my family again. I was right, it hurt too. My mom had brought myself, Gingka, and Madoka into the living room while my dad went to get Ryan. My leg was bouncing as my mom got us some water and sat down.

"So James, where have you been this whole time?"

"Traveling. Getting stronger."

"Well, that's not very descriptive." I sighed.

"I couldn't stay here mom. Not when I couldn't control Leone. If I had stayed, someone else may have gotten hurt. Or worse." I stared at the glass in my hands. "I wasn't going to let that happen."

"I see. And do you have Leone under control now?" I nodded.

"It's like it was before it evolved. I'm not scared of losing control anymore."

_'Liar.'_ I thought to myself. Hades Leone and I had more of an agreement than the partnership we had before. We still weren't fully in sync again, and he could still lash out if I wasn't careful.

I sat up fully as my dad came around the corner, Ryan holding his arm as he slowly stepped into the room. Ryan looked up and gasped.

"James? Is it really?" I stood up and walked over, and being extremely careful of his back, gave him a hug.

"I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry." He hugged me back, and I winced at the bones poking out of his arms and his ribs showing even through his shirt. He had atrophied a ton over the past few months. He pulled back and smiled, although I could tell it was strained.

"I'm okay James. Just, don't ever run off like that again, okay? I thought something had happened to you." I smiled sadly and helped him sit down.

"Something did. I couldn't stand seeing you in that condition. And I had to get Leone under control before I hurt someone else." He nodded.

"Well, you do seem a lot stronger than you were." He hesitated in asking the next question, "How is Leone?" I sighed and pulled it out.

"Leone regrets what he did. Once he evolved, he had a huge amount of pride, and I nearly broke. I almost couldn't tame him." Leone's Face Bolt glimmered. "But, now we are back on the same page." Ryan smiled and I helped him sit down.

"That's good."

"How are Bull and Serpent?" He smiled.

"You want to see something Madoka whipped up for me?"

"Sure."

««{{¤}}»»

After a lot of convincing, and dragging my parents along, we were standing around one of the stadiums near our place. Ryan pulled out a launcher and I squinted in curiosity. It had two places for Beys.

"Is that a double launcher?"

"Uh huh. It's mechanical too. Madoka made it so I could still practice without launching. It hurt too much at first, but now it's better." I nodded and watched as he loaded up both Beys. He pressed a button and they started spinning. They flew off the launcher and landed in the stadium, circling around. Bull made smaller circles while Serpent rushed around at a higher speed. Serpent looked different.

"Is that a new Spin Track?" Ryan nodded.

"135. It gave Serpent a boost in Attack, since that's where it needed strength. Alright, go at it you two!" Bull and Serpent dashed around and bounced off of each other, spinning around and going blow for blow. They pulled away, then slammed into each other, a gust of wind blowing out of the stadium. "Alright, keep it up!" Ryan winced a tiny bit when he moved too quickly, and I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Take it easy kid. You don't need to hurt yourself."

"I'm fine, I just need to get my strength back." I nodded and turned to watch as Bull and Serpent duked it out.

"So, you haven't had any troubles with these two getting along?"

"Not really, no. Serpent is just happy to have a Blader that cares about it, and Bull is grateful for the battle partner."

"Lucky. I bet Leone would have a problem if I got a second Bey." I held Leone up and felt an almost snide nudge. I smirked and looked back to the battle. Serpent dodged around an attack and sped around the arena, a black light trailing behind it. "What's that?"

"Serpent Time. One of its techniques it came up with. It's not quite a Special Move, but it definitely packs a punch." Serpent circled around Bull in a tight formation, making it slow down. "It's similar to Gingka's Cosmic Tornado, but it traps the other Bey." Serpent slowly forced Bull down to the center. Any time Bull tried to attack, it would bounce around a little before recentering. Serpent tightened its spin. Bull obviously didn't like small spaces, because it let out a burst of energy, knocking Serpent off track. Bull slammed into it, pushing it back. Serpent pulled away and returned fire, but Bull had the advantage of a shorter Spin Track. Bull dug underneath Serpent's Fusion Wheel and tossed it high into the air. Bull started moving in a tighter circle than Serpent had just moments before, a glowing red energy surrounding it.

"What is that?"

"Rampage Slam. The Special Move we made." Ryan watched calmly as Serpent fell, getting smacked back into the air by Bull. Bull was playing hacky-sac with Serpent. But instead of getting weaker, I noticed Serpent was spinning faster.

"What's Serpent doing?"

"It's final attack. I don't have a name for it yet but watch." Serpent was thrown into the air once more, but this time, black energy was thrown upwards as it used gravity to gain speed. Bull and Serpent slammed into each other, and I stepped in front of Ryan as an explosion rang out. Smoke billowed out and I coughed for a second until it settled. Serpent and Bull were both barely spinning. They fell over at the same time, making it a draw. I hopped down into the stadium and picked them up, climbing out and giving them to Ryan. "Thanks."

"No problem. Well Ryan, it looks like I'm not the only one to get stronger." A mechanical tone came from Madoka's direction and she pulled out her laptop. She answered a call.

"Miss Madoka!" I recognized the voice as Yuki, the kid from the Beyster Island tournament.

"Yuki! What's up?"

"We think we found it! We found where they are hiding Nemesis!"

"Really?! Guys! Listen to this!" Madoka turned the screen so we could all see.

"Yuki!"

"Hello Mr. Gingka. Did you get that?"

"Yeah, tell us, where is it?!"

"Central America. I'll send the coordinates now!" A message popped up and Madoka pulled them up while I spoke.

"Central America? That all the way across the world! It'll take days to get there even by plane!" Yuki nodded.

"I'm afraid so, which is why we all need to get there as soon as possible." Gingka held up a fist.

"Alright! Let's do this!" I turned to Ryan, but he spoke before I could.

"Don't worry about me. I'll do no good to you in this condition. Go. Save the world. You weren't chosen by Leone for nothing." I looked at Hades Leone, thinking back to how we first met.

"You're right. Get better, okay?" I said. He nodded and gave me a thumbs up.

"You'd kill me if I didn't." I smirked and glanced away. "Hey." I raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Don't you dare stop. Not until that Nemesis freak is destroyed." I had forgotten that the others had probably caught him up with everything while I was gone. My mom cut in.

"Ryan!"

"Mom, this guy wants to take over the world. If they don't stop him then there is no chance! They are the strongest Bladers in the world!" My mom grimaced, then turned to me. I spoke before she could.

"I will come home." I turned to Ryan, "And I'll make sure Nemesis won't hurt anyone. I promise." We nodded at each other and clapped hands in a shake. I turned to my parents. "I will be back. And we'll all have a long talk." I hugged both of them and stepped back, holding up Leone. "Leone and I won't stop until Nemesis is finished." My family nodded, and Ryan held up his team. All three Beys glowed for a second. I turned to Gingka and Madoka. "Let's go save the world."

««{{¤}}»»

Gingka, Madoka and I had hopped on a plane to head to America. There, we met Masemune, King, and Yuki. Soon we had everyone together, and Gingka headed the group.

"Alright everyone! Just remember this is the toughest battle we will ever fight. Nemesis must be stopped!" Yuki nodded.

"That's right! We need to stop it before it covers the world in darkness!"

"But how will we do that? We can't perform Zeus' Barrier without Ryuga." Gingka nodded at Tsubasa.

"He'll be there. Trust me." I looked at everyone.

««{{¤}}»»

I watched as multiple battles were quickly initiated and ended, and all of the Legendary Bladers were joined together. We were all caught off guard by the Prototype Nemesis gaining enough energy to evolve into Diablo Nemesis. We soon found the final battle ground and were running up to the temple. I saw a massive explosion on the side of the mountain, and I couldn't take it any longer. I launched Leone.

"Give me a ride bud!" Leone's beast appeared and he wrapped chains around my waist, lifting me onto his back and holding me in place. We tore up the mountain side. I saw Kenta holding Sagittario, looking lower than low. Leone skidded to a stop and I hopped off, running up to him. "Kenta!"

"Huh? J-James?! Is that you?!" I nearly tackled him in a hug.

"Kenta, I saw the explosion, are you okay?!" I saw everyone else running up, some of them wary of Leone standing behind me.

"I-I'm okay. But Ryuga! I couldn't get him to listen. He went to fight Nemesis on his own!" I glared up the mountain.

"Darn your pride!" I caught Leone, not wanting to waste our combined strength, and we all continued up the mountain.

Explosions were rocking the whole island, and I knew Ryuga was duking it out with Rago. There was no way Ryuga could take him alone. Even if he was the strongest out of all of us, he was far weaker than Nemesis. I knew that even after only seeing the battle when it had evolved from Prototype Nemesis.

We all ran as fast as we could. I was able to sprint ahead, getting through the massive doorway just in time to see Rago unleash a massive attack. I was barely able to make out Ryuga as he was enveloped by the flames.

"NO!" I cried out as he landed on the ground, not moving. L-drago landed next to him. I ran forward, ignoring the gasps as everyone entered the room. I dropped to my knees and shook Ryuga as Gingka ran up. "Ryuga you idiot wake up! Come on, you can't lose here! We needed you!" He didn't respond. My head whipped around as I heard Rago laugh.

"He was weak. He stood no chance against the might of my Nemesis!" I stood up, anger flaring.

"You calloused-!" I loaded up but felt a hand on my shoulder.

"James don't!" I turned to see Chris. "Let me."

"Chris?"

"Orion can't be stopped, remember? I'll just wear him down until there is nothing left! No one else needs to battle." I was shocked at his heroics.

"But why?" He stepped around me, loading up.

"Because. I want Gingka's title. So if I win, I get to battle him." He turned to Rago. "All right punk! Let's do this!" Rago laughed.

"You think you can stop me? What about your precious Dragon Emperor? He said he would beat me as well."

"Yeah? Well I don't have to steal energy to become stronger! My Phantom Orion was designed to never stop! Which means I can attack you all I want!"

"Hn! We will see." The other Bladers protested.

"Mr. Chris! Please wait! You aren't strong enough on your own!" Yuki said.

"Chris don't do it!" Gingka called out, kneeling down and holding Ryuga's motionless form.

"It is not written in the stars for you to fight alone! Please stop!" Dynamis again with the "prophesying". Chris spun around, glaring at us.

"Shut up!" Everyone quieted down. "I'm battling him. Stay quiet or get blown away!" He turned and leveled his launcher. "Are you ready to face me?!"

"Are you ready to fall like that pathetic worm?" Rago grinned darkly.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let It Rip!" Orion and Nemesis collided, a huge explosion rocking the place. I held Kenta close as he ducked his head.

"Ah haha! Is he crazy?! There is no way he can beat him!"

"I know." I said grimly as I stared at ensuing battle.

"Huh?! Then why didn't you stop him!"

"Because he wouldn't listen to me." I watched as explosion after explosion went off. "Chris has this idea, and if it works, he's right, we won't have to worry about fighting."

"Why is that?"

"Phantom Orion's Bearing Drive eliminates all friction, meaning it can spin for a very, very, long time." I sighed. "I just hope Chris isn't blinded by that fact. If Orion gets knocked out..." I looked to our left, a deep, unending darkness below us.

"It is no use! My Nemesis will destroy you before the day is over!" Rago laughed. I stared at the battle with calculating eyes.

"Chris just has to hold out till Nemesis gets tired. That's when he'll strike. The only issue is while Orion can keep spinning, Chris can only stand for so long." Chris threw his arms up to cover his face as Nemesis landed a solid hit. "If Chris has the will power, he can do this." I stood up taller. "Get him Chris! You can win!" Chris glanced back at me, and I nearly gasped at the split second flash of fear before he grinned at me, turning back. "No." Kenta looked up at me.

"What? What's wrong?"

««{{Flashback}}»»

"So, when was the last time you had Orion repaired?"

"Repaired? That's a good question." I nearly fell out of the tree I was lounging in.

"What?! You don't remember?!"

"Orion's never taken that much damage, so I never thought about it."

"A little bit goes a long way." He nodded.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

««{{Flashback End}}»»

"Orion's never gotten a repair. It's battled a ton over time and its structure had weakened! Chris never realized it till his battle with Masemune, because all of the other Bladers were chump change compared to him! How did I not think of this sooner?!"

"Hey! What about Toby and Zeo!" I snapped at Masemune.

"Not the time!" I turned to Madoka. "Madoka! What's Orion's damage status?"

"Huh? Oh, right!" She pulled out her laptop and went to work. She gasped and I saw her screen light up red. "Oh no! Not good!" I looked over the screen, gasping myself. I looked over at Chris to see him sweating. "Orion's damage is worse than you would think! The Bearing Drive isn't going to be able to take much more!"

"Chris! Get out of there!" An explosion made Chris take a step back. He shot a look over his shoulder.

"I can't! I've come too far for this!"

"Chris! Quit being prideful and think of Orion for once in your life!" He looked back at me, his eyes widening.

"...Orion..." Rago shouted, growing in strength.

"I will finish you! Nemesis Special Move!" I threw my arm to the side.

"Chris MOVE!"

"ARMAGEDDON!"

««{{¤}}»»

Horror filled my chest as I watched Chris get enveloped by the attack. An inhumane scream filled my ears, and I turned to cover Kenta. The energy dispersed and I turned, only to freeze. Chris was standing, but he wasn't moving. I ran as fast as I could over to him.

"Chris! Chris, please no! Come on!" I grabbed his shoulder, only to have to catch him when he collapsed. I dropped to my knees as he crumpled to the ground. I quickly checked for a pulse. It was there. I looked down and saw Orion, its Bearing Drive in two pieces, the free spinning bottom snapped off. "No..." Orion weakly gleamed, and I could almost feel its pain. I looked at Chris to see his face shrouded in pain. Horror turned to anger, and I gently set him down. I stood up, my eyes shadowed. Rago laughed loudly, enjoying himself. "Shut up." Rago stopped and looked at me.

"You. Worm, who do you think you are?" I looked up at him, my eyes glowing with purple fire.

"I'm the last thing you'll see." Energy gathered tightly around me, then exploded. "HAAAAAAAAAH!" I loaded up, as did Rago.

"Hah! You aren't even one of those so called Legends! I will finish you without a Special Move!"

"SHUT UP!" We launched, our Beys meeting midair. I was blown back a few steps but shouted. Leone rushed around, slamming into Nemesis. I blinked when I realized Nemesis looked different. "Huh?"

"This is Ultimate Balance Mode. Nemesis will adapt to whatever I need it to." Leone slammed into Nemesis, only for it not to budge. Another attack, and Nemesis rushed around, moving at a scary speed for its weight. I turned to the other Bladers.

"It's now or never! Everyone! Attack with all you've got!" Kyoya and King ran forward, launching their Beys.

"No need to tell me! Leone!"

"Variares! Let's cream this freak!" The other Blader's joined in, and we had an all-out battle going. The Defense Types were guarding the Stamina Types, who would rush in for an attack while the Attack Types moved back to regain their balance. We were all thrashing Nemesis, but it didn't seem to faze it. Hit after hit. Explosion after explosion. Nothing even made it move.

"You worms just won't give up!" Black lightning struck out and I winced in pain.

"Maybe if you weren't trying to destroy the world, we wouldn't have such a problem with you! Hades Leone!" It rushed down and slammed into Nemesis, the Fusion Wheel's three heavy heads digging under it, launching it back. Variares, Anubius, and Pegasus all slammed into it. Nemesis released a blast, knocking them back. "Come on! This is ridiculous! Just take some damage already!" Hades Leone smashed into it, and it and Fang Leone bounced it in between them a bunch of times. Nemesis smashed into Hades Leone, knocking it away, along with Queztalcoatl. "Gah! Just! FALL!" Leone pulled back to rest closer to me and began building up energy.

"I will end you! Even if it means not going home! HAAAAH!" With our anger at seeing Chris knocked out, and our pain knowing we would never be strong enough to really do anything, Leone began to shimmer from the heat it was gathering. "Hades Leone Special Move: Royal Flame Hurricane!" Leone rushed Nemesis, colliding with it and releasing the energy. It spiraled up, the tornado of blazing orange. "I won't stop!" My voice gained a demonic tone once again. "Not until you _sink into the darkness! AHHHHHH!" _I was sweating from the strain of using so much power. Nemesis was actually being pushed back as the flames turned purple. Everyone shouted as their Beys backed up, and Rago took a step back.

"What's this?"

"This is my pain at experiencing failure. My sorrow at never being strong enough to protect the ones I love and even bringing them harm when I lose control! And my _raaaaaaage!"_ I threw my head back as my eyes flashed purple, and Hades Leone seemed to double in strength. Rago threw his arm out.

"This worm just won't quit! Nemesis!" I felt something snap and my strength was gone. I saw the energy rushing towards me, and I knew I couldn't dodge it in time. Something smacked into me, taking me to the ground. The energy flew over my head, and I gasped when I saw Hades Leone laying on the ground next to me. One of the heads on the Fusion Wheel was cracked wide open.

"...Leone..."

"James! Are you okay?!" I looked up to see Chris grabbing my shoulder. I blacked out, but not before seeing a bright light behind me.

**Welp, lotta good James did. He busted up Leone and only ticked off Rago. What's happening now?**

**Find out next time!**

**~Silverleone**


	26. Chapter 26

**Hello all!**

**This is the final chapter of Future Endeavors! But don't worry, there's a sequel!**

**True I was really late hopping on the band wagon even writing this, much less posting it, but I enjoyed it. It was fun! That's what matters in my book. I only post the stories I write so others can enjoy what I have.**

**Let e know what you think! I'll have the sequel, The Guardian's Acquisition, up hopefully within the week. With college, getting ready to move in a few weeks, and writing my own original book, it's been hectic. No promises of faster updates, it's REALLY hit or miss.**

**Anyways, enjoy!**

**~Silverleone**

"James! James wake up!" I slowly came back to consciousness, a high pitched ringing in my ears.

I weakly got up from the ground, my arms shaking. I picked up Hades Leone as I stood up, almost losing my balance. Chris put his hand on my shoulder and helped me stand.

"Here, lean on me."

"Thanks..." I noticed my glasses had spider web cracks, making them useless. I tossed them to the side with a scowl.

"James...promise me something." Chris said.

"You better not ask me to sit out, because I'm not done." I was sweating from the strain of even standing, there was no way I could continue. But I had to. Nemesis had to be stopped.

"No, I won't even try and talk you out of it, because I know you won't listen. So I want you to make him pay. Get him back for what he did to Ryuga and I." He shoved something into my hand, and my eyes widened when I looked down and saw the Phantom Fusion Wheel.

"Chris, I-I can't."

"Ryuga gave Kenta his Star Fragment, now I'm doing the same. Orion can't continue without the Bearing Drive. So you need to finish this."

"Ryuga gave, Kenta...?" I shook my head, obviously I was out for more than a split second. "Chris...I'm not strong enough..."

"You are now." I looked at him. "You've got this." Chris stepped away, giving me a thumbs up. I hesitated before scowling at Rago, the man who wanted to destroy the world and cover it in darkness. I switched out my Hades Wheel for the Phantom Wheel, and felt an immediate rush of power. My body regained its strength and I sighed.

"...You...think...we'll let you destroy this world...?" A dark purple energy started rising off of my body in thin streams. "You, you are nothing. I will end you..." Energy exploded outwards as I threw my head back, screaming to the sky. "I WILL END YOU! AAHH!" I felt Leone change in my hand and I grinned.

_'So this is the power of the Star Fragment! We've waited for so long!'_ Madoka heard my shout and turned around, only to panic when she saw the energy.

"James? What's going on?!" The energy gathered around me and I glared at Rago. I walked forwards, eyes glowing with a purple fire. Everyone in front of me moved to the side.

"James?! What's going on?!" Gingka spoke up.

"Stop! You aren't strong enough! You have already tried!" Dynamis pleaded with me, but I ignored him.

"James, please!" Madoka cried out as she looked on in horror. Rago took notice of the energy and grinned.

"So the worm got back up? Interesting. Do you want to be destroyed like the so called Dragon Emperor?" My voice was haunting and cold.

"We will stop your tyrannical reign before it begins."

"Ha! You will try." Loading Leone onto my launcher, I lifted it over my shoulder and hooked the handle of the cord to a hook on my coat. I took a skipping step, twisting my body to the right and throwing my left arm forward, sending Leone flying faster than anyone could blink.

"Rocket Launch! Raah!" Leone pierced the dome Nemesis had created, and slammed into said Bey with a massive explosion. It hit everyone harder than anticipated and even Rago had to take a step back. "Tear it apart!" Another explosion of equal size rocked the large stadium.

"What's this?" Rago seemed shocked at the power. Madoka had her computer out and was scanning Leone.

"Woah! Leone's rotation speed is 50% higher than normal! Its power is insane! Wait...Is that a Phantom Fusion Wheel?!" I pulled my left hand back, a ball of purple energy forming in it.

"You say this will be our tomb, we'll make sure it's yours instead!" I started forming a star shape, five thin beams of energy burning brightly. I made a circle with my arm, overlapping the five points and connecting them, finishing the pentagram. "Special Move: Phantom Zone!" The pentagram appeared under Leone, and the image on its Face Bolt flashed. A swirling energy poured out of it and formed a dome. It surrounded Phantom Leone and Diablo Nemesis, separating them from the others. Masemune spun to shout at me.

"Hey buddy, what's the big idea?! Even I'm smart enough not to fight him on my own!" I ignored everyone as they all turned to protest.

"I'm going to make you PAY!" I cried as Leone slammed into Nemesis, an explosion rocking the stadium again. Explosion after explosion rocked the whole building, and smoke filled the temple. Rago smirked.

"You are a fool if you think this will do anything. You will fall, this time permanently!" A large explosion followed his words, and I saw Leone slam into the dome wall. Nemesis followed it and pinned it against the dome.

"Leone, fight back!" Leone slipped from Nemesis' grasp and moved behind it, pushing it into the dome wall.

"I wonder how long it will take to break you? Till you are begging me to stop. Let's see." Nemesis easily pushed Leone away and chased it.

"Leone, get away!" Something about Leone's appearance changed and it almost seemed to teleport, slamming into Nemesis from behind. Madoka spoke up.

"Woah, so fast! That new Spin Track can use the teeth to both attack and move around!" Leone was circling Nemesis, letting out a massive barrage of attacks. Nemesis couldn't get a hit in, Leone was too fast.

"You worm! Stop moving!" Nemesis let out a blast of energy, knocking Leone away. Chris stepped in front of me.

"James stop! You saw what happened to Ryuga! You saw what happened to me! I wanted you to beat him, but not on your own! Let the others fight with you!"

"I will." He blinked.

"What?! Then why are you doing this?!"

"Because if Nemesis isn't stopped, then we are all done for. Right now Leone is the one with the highest energy. I'm going to use that before it's gone." Two more explosions sounded, the wind blowing my hair to the side. "Nemesis may be strong, but there is always a weak spot. I just have to find it."

««{{¤}}»»

"You are nothing! Just disappear!"

***Explosions***

"If we are nothing, then why are you having such trouble getting rid of us?! Sounds to me like we are more than just pests!"

***Explosions***

"Aaahh, stop spinning!"

"Never! Not until Nemesis is destroyed!" Phantom Leone was giving Diablo Nemesis a run for its money. But sadly, while Leone was powerful, it had weakened substantially over the battle. Nemesis appeared to be spinning as strong as ever, but it looked like it was moving a little slower than before.

"I'll wipe you from the face of the Earth! AAAAHH!" A blast of energy filled the Phantom Zone and I could feel Leone weakening from it.

"Leone!" It was time to let the others help. "Cut off the Phantom Zone!" The inner purple dome shattered, and the energy Nemesis released went straight up, crashing through the roof of the temple. Yuki hopped on board first.

"Us planetary Bladers aren't done! Everyone, we must help Mr. Gingka and the others!" All five of them smashed into Nemesis, giving everything they had.

"You worms just won't give up!" A huge blast of energy hit everyone, and I had to cover my eyes to block the intense light. Everything went still and I saw all five of the Beyblades had stopped spinning. Masemune saw an opportunity and took it.

"Alright! We have you now! Striker Special Move: Flash of Lightning!" Tsubasa jumped in alongside him.

"Eagle! Shining Tornado Buster!" Yuu joined in for a last ditched effort.

"I'll add the finishing touch! Libra! Final Inferno Blast!" We all covered our eyes as a bright light shone through the purple dome. The light died down and I saw those three Beyblades had stopped spinning. But the dome was gone thanks to their efforts.

"Go get 'em you guys, it looks like we're done here." Masemune gave us a thumbs up, which Gingka returned.

"Alright, thanks guys!" I noticed Nemesis wasn't as strong as it once was.

"Guys it's working!"

"Yeah! Mr. Gingka, it's time for you and the others to create Zeus's Barrier!"

"Right. Kenta! Kyoya and Ch-!" Everyone stopped when they remembered Phantom Orion had been knocked out. "We can't create it! We don't have all four of the Season Bladers!"

"That's where I come in!" I placed my hand on Chris' shoulder. "Phantom _Leone_ will be the fourth Season Blader." Madoka stepped up.

"Did you give James your Fusion Wheel?" Chris smiled weakly.

"Yeah. Orion simply couldn't go on." I looked at him in concern.

"Chris..." He shook his head.

"I got cocky, it's okay. Finish this before it's too late." We all nodded and turned to Nemesis, us five Bladers at the front.

"Rago! This ends now!" Gingka said.

"We won't let you rule the world!" Kenta shouted.

"I'm sick of your incessant whining!" I looked at Kyoya in shock.

"Did we just agree on something?" He scowled but conceded.

"First time for everything!" I snorted and turned back to Rago.

"Let's end this!"

««{{¤}}»»

"We ARE Nemesis! AHAHAHAA!"

"You ARE annoying! Just shut up already!" I pushed myself up from the ground, feeling the strain from the battle just a few minutes earlier. "We don't care how long it takes! We will stop you!" I loaded Leone onto the launcher, wincing as its Spirit roared both in rage and pain. I straightened my stance.

"I'm not done either...!" Masemune stood up, trying to be strong, but I could see his body shaking. Everyone else stood up and we all shouted.

"Let it Rip!" 12 Beys charged the evil Diablo Nemesis.

"It is Useless! Nemesis!" Dark versions of the Bey Spirits formed from Nemesis and charged, slamming into the Beys and knocking them away without trouble. Some of the Beys fell, shattering to pieces.

"No! Leone!"

"Jupiter!"

"L-Libra!"

"I promised." I gritted my teeth and ran forwards, feeling a final burst of power when I saw my friends get hurt. "Leave them alone! Phantom Leone Finishing Move: WILD CALL!" Leone dashed forward, glowing with a hot fire. A blast of speed made it lift off the ground, a streaking comet flying faster than the eye could follow.

"James no!" Someone behind me shouted.

"HAAAAAAAA!" My energy reached new heights as I ran forwards.

"Useless! Nemesis, Armageddon!" Nemesis dashed forward and slammed into Leone, the biggest explosion rocking our entire world. Time slowed and I saw something flying towards me. I slipped trying to avoid it, my feet flying out from under me, and it hit my eye, leaving a deep, vertical cut. I shouted in pain as a shockwave lifted me off my feet, sending me flying. I hit the ground hard and everything went black.

««{{¤}}»»

I heard a lot of voices crying out.

"GINGKA!" I felt a pull from Leone and sighed.

'_We give this to you, Gingka...End this...'_

««{{¤}}»»

"We need to get him to a hospital!"

"Get him on the helicopter! Right away!"

««{{¤}}»»

"...And that why he must...with the bandage..."

"-ou nurse."

««{{¤}}»»

I rolled over slowly, blinking at the bright lights. My vision felt wonky, almost one sided, and I felt a sharp pain in the right side of my head. I moved my hand to touch the area that hurt and I felt some sort of cloth.

"Ah-ah-ah, no touching."

***Smack*** I jumped when I felt a hand gently smack mine. I turned my head and my mother came into view.

"...M...mom?" I tried to push myself into a sitting position, but she placed her hands on my shoulders, keeping me down. "Mom, what's going on? Where am I? What happened?!" I could feel panic start to rise in my chest, making it hard to breathe. My mind was running a million miles an hour and I couldn't keep track of the thoughts.

"James, calm down. It's okay. You are in the hospital. You were injured in the battle." I tried to think back. She handed me some glasses, I slipped them on and looked at her again. Apparently she got me new ones.

"Battle? Mom, what's going on? Why can't I remember what happened?"

"Jay Jay...?" I turned my head and saw Yuu standing in the middle of the floor.

"...Yuu?" He sniffed, then burst into tears.

"Jay Jay!" He ran forwards and landed on the bed, wrapping his arms around me. "We were all so scared when we saw you were hurt! I-I thought!" I placed my hand on his back, trying to comfort him when I myself was near panicking.

"Yuu, it's okay, I'm alright." He lifted his head and looked at me with tear filled eyes.

"***Sniff*** Really?" I smiled weakly, knowing I was far from okay. My head felt like it was being slowly ripped in two, and I could only see out of my left eye.

"It might take me a while for me to get back on my feet, but I will be better before you know it."

"...Okay..." I nodded, knowing he still wasn't happy, but I needed to figure out what was happening. I looked at my mom.

"Mom, why is there something on my eye?" She sighed and started to explain, when the door opened. I looked and saw a couple people enter. Gingka, Ryan, Kenta, Chris, and shockingly, Kyoya. "Guys?"

"James! You're awake!" Gingka held up a fist and had a smile on his face. "That's awesome, how are you feeling?"

"I'm confused, that's how I'm feeling." I didn't mean to sound harsh, but it killed the fire in his eyes.

"Oh..." Kenta stepped forward.

"I'll explain." He went on to tell me about the final battle, how we had all attacked Nemesis, but our Beys were torn to shreds. I had run forwards, unleashing a final move in retaliation. Nemesis had easily sent Leone flying. At that moment it had appeared I had dodged it. Only once Gingka had finally and fully destroyed Nemesis had they seen my injury. "We rushed you to the hospital as soon as possible. I don't know anything beyond that." Ryan stepped forward and held something up.

"Madoka fixed it for you. It was almost unrecognizable when I saw it." I reached out and took my Hades Leone. I grunted when I noticed its Spin Track and Performance Tip were different. Memories came slowly over the past few minutes, but holding Leone, everything dawned on me. Leone had evolved using the power of Chris' Star Fragment. I looked up when Chris stepped forward. He held up his hand.

"This is for you James." I saw the Phantom Fusion Wheel and nearly had a heart attack.

"Chris, I can't take that!"

"It's okay, this isn't Orion's Fusion Wheel. Madoka made a different one for you. Here." I lifted my hand, hesitating for a second before taking it. I held the Fusion Wheel and Leone in my hands. I felt a slight pull from Leone and smiled.

"...Alright then." Chris handed me a tool and I swapped them out, albeit with a little coordination trouble due to the lack of an eye. I tightened the Face Bolt down and held it up. The Fusion Wheel was in attack mode, six sharp blades outlined the Bey, matching neatly with the six sections on the Energy Ring. Gingka nodded.

"Madoka's work is perfect, as usual. How's it feel James?" It looked like I didn't hear him, I was staring at Leone without blinking. "Uh, James?" They all gasped when a deep purple light started glowing around Leone. It got brighter and ran down my arm, soon covering my whole body in a flame like light. My mom started to call for help but Ryan stepped over and calmed her down.

"It's alright mom, he's not getting hurt. Just watch." A minute or two went by and the light ran back up my body and down my arm to Leone. I blinked a couple of times and looked up, only to get a little freaked out when I saw everybody staring.

"Uh, what?"

**So James has some adjusting to do. Losing any portion of the body cannot be easy. How will he adjust?**

**Find out next time in "The Guardian's Acquisition!"**

**~Silverleone**


End file.
